Wenger's side are in the group-stage draw thanks to a first goal from £32m summer signing Sanchez but were made to sweat after Debuchy's dismissal Nervous as hell. A white-knuckle ride far too early in the season for Arsene Wenger’s comfort.
But 17 straight Champions League seasons for the Gunners, just, thanks to Alexis Sanchez’s first repayment on his £32million transfer fee.
Despite an evening that suggested more investment is required – the Chilean far from a natural line-leader – Arsenal did enough to ensure their name is in the hat in Monaco on Thursday afternoon.
Wenger, though, will know how easily this could have gone the other way, with Jack Wilshere lucky not to concede a first-half penalty, even before Mathieu Debuchy’s red card saw the shutters go up.
Mathieu Debuchy of Arsenal is shown a red card
Arsenal need more, far more, from Sanchez and Mesut Ozil, and desperately missed Aaron Ramsey and the crocked Olivier Giroud.
But Wenger will be the one who takes on the cream of Europe not Slaven Bilic, left frustrated and stranded in the stands by his ban.
Arsenal have been here before of course. Six times before, all of them won with reasonable comfort.
Indeed, before last week’s goalless draw in Istanbul, Wenger’s men had a 100 per cent record from their 12 games against the likes of Udinese, FC Twente, Celtic and Fenerbahce.
Here though, the pressure was on. One mistake and it could be curtains.
Initially there were few signs of nerves.
Wilshere set the tone with a subtle turn and ball out to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain inside 30 seconds and Arsenal could have taken an iron grip within 10 minutes of the start.
The first chance came when Wilshere picked up a loose ball, waltzed into the box but dragged wide.
Then, a poor clearance from Besiktas keeper Tolga Zengin found only Santi Cazorla, whose floated shot from 30 yards drifted off target.
The Turkish side grew in confidence, their movement a concern, Demba Ba and Olcay Sahan stretching the Arsenal back line.
Wilshere’s radar was going on the blink, Ozil struggling to make any impact, Sanchez, too, off the pace.
Had Debuchy not got a toe in to rob Mustafa Pektemek after Ba forced an error from Per Mertesacker, it really would have started looking hairy for the hosts.
Cazorla aside, Arsenal were far from slick or fluent. This was stodgy, unimpressive stuff, the anxiety levels creeping slowly but perceptibly upwards.
They would have gone through the roof had Portuguese referee Pedro Proenca given a penalty when Wilshere slid in wildly and Ramon Motta tumbled. Wilshere looked sheepish, the official decided there was no contact.
Then came relief.
Debuchy’s run and cross looked to have fizzled out but Wilshere’s persistence was rewarded as a one-two with Ozil fell for Sanchez to score.
Alexis Sanchez shoots and scores past Tolga Zengin
Bolstered, with a chance to regroup at the break, Arsenal looked to put it to bed.
Cazorla, picked out by Oxlade-Chamberlain, dragged wide, before the England winger created another opening. Skipping into space, his cross was half-cleared to Wilshere, whose delicious angled ball should have been buried by Sanchez. Instead, his effort was deflected wide.
Not over yet, although it would have been had Debuchy, untenanted at the back post and a yard out, hit the target.
This was edgy stuff, Arsenal walking a defensive tightrope, Ba hitting the side-netting after Flamini’s blocked clearance fell to him inside the box.
And when Debuchy’s pull on Mustafa Pektemek brought his second yellow card, it was emergency time.
Off went Ozil, on came Calum Chambers – instantly booked for taking his place too early for the referee’s liking – with Arsenal under the hammer.
In the moment of need, though, they gritted their teeth, dug in, got themselves over the line.
Not pretty. But, by a hair’s breadth, enough.
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