Arsenal will be up against a familiar face in the UEFA Europa League semi-final. The Gunners will face their former head coach, Unai Emery, and his current team, Villarreal. The two-legged tie will determine which team goes through to the final and face either Manchester United or AS Roma.
Everton handed Arsenal their thirteenth league defeat of the season on the weekend. The loss proved to be a critical blow in the Gunners’ European qualification hopes, as they were left stranded in the tenth position on the league table. They are now in danger of missing out on any kind of European football next season. Furthermore, they could slip into the bottom half of the table with just five matches left to play, provided Aston Villa win their game in hand.
Luckily for Arsenal, there remains an avenue for them to return to Europe next season. The Gunners find themselves in the semi-finals of this season’s UEFA Europa League. As such, they are potentially just two wins away from securing a berth in next season’s UEFA Champions League.
To do that they will first have to beat Villarreal. The LaLiga side is currently coached by Arsenal’s former manager, Unai Emery. The Spaniard replaced the great Arsene Wenger at the helm in 2018 but was relieved from his duties midway through the 2019/20 season. His replacement, Mikel Arteta, remains the manager of the senior team to date.
Arsenal’s road to the Europa League semi-finals has been relatively easy. As such, Villarreal will provide them with the first true test in this edition of the competition. Luckily for the Gunners, they are set to be boosted by the timely return of Alexandre Lacazette, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, and Kieran Tierney. Whether the three players start the match remains to be seen. However, they are expected to make the bench when Arsenal take on Villarreal.
Key Player
Gerard Moreno
The Spanish forward has been a key figure for Villarreal all season. Moreno is his side’s main goalscorer and has been in scintillating form throughout the campaign. He has scored 26 goals this season and has also provided eight assists. His tally of 34 goal contributions in 38 appearances across all competitions makes him one of the best players in Europe this season.
Dani Parejo
Villarreal signed Dani Parejo for a low transfer fee from rivals Valencia before the season. Parejo, in turn, has been a key figure for the first time throughout the season. He has made 43 appearances across all competitions and is only behind Manu Trigueros in terms of total appearances for the club this season. He is a master passer and is among the best at what he does on the continent. Stopping him will be key to cutting off the supply to the forwards.
Bukayo Saka
Mikel Arteta has largely had to rely upon the brilliance of his youngsters to save Arsenal’s season. With the likes of Aubameyang and Lacazette failing to deliver, the responsibility of the team has fallen on the young shoulders of Bukayo Saka. The attacker has done his part brilliantly and has been one of the bright sparks of Arteta’s team this season. He played a key role in the last round as Arsenal beat Slavia Praha to progress to the next round.
Alexandre Lacazette
Despite enduring a disappointing season, Lacazette remains a key figure in Arteta’s team. The Frenchman has been leading the attack for the Spaniard recently, with a trio of youngsters playing behind him. The Arsenal star is expected to return from an injury just in time for this match. He has scored 17 goals this season, with three of those coming in seven Europa League appearances.
Prediction
This will be the fifth meeting between Villarreal and Arsenal in European competitions. However, the Spanish side has never managed to beat this opposition, having drawn two and lost two matches against them. Thankfully for them, the first leg will be played at the Estadio de la Cerámica, where Arsenal are yet to record a win. Their two previous visits to the stadium ended in a draw.
In Unai Emery, Arsenal are up against a manager who knows too much about their squad. Considering that the Spaniard was the Gunners’ head coach for over a year, he will be able to provide his current team with key information about his former squad.
Arsenal may have faltered domestically this season, but they have done well in Europe. The Europa League seems to be the only avenue for the London outfit currently if they wish to play in European competitions next season. It is difficult to gauge what kind of performance the Gunners will produce in their next match. As such, they could well be beaten by the opposition, which seems to be working well under their former coach.
