N'Golo Kante Set for Late Fitness Test Ahead of UEL Final After Knee Injury
May 28, 2019
LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 05: Ngolo Kante of Chelsea during the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Watford FC at Stamford Bridge on May 05, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Chelsea are sweating on N'Golo Kante's fitness ahead of Wednesday's UEFA Europa League final after he suffered a knee injury in training on Saturday.
The Blues will assess his fitness shortly before the showpiece with Arsenal, per Simon Johnson of the Evening Standard:
#Kante's injury isn't as bad as first feared and he has travelled to #Baku with the rest of the #cfc squad. Still doesn't mean he will be fit to start on Wednesday though. Could be big decision for #Sarri to make. https://t.co/CSjN5QVqIH
Per Johnson, a scan allayed fears the midfielder had suffered ligament damage, but the club are unsure if he'll be able to feature.
With Ruben Loftus-Cheek also out, manager Maurizio Sarri will likely deploy a midfield trio of Jorginho, Ross Barkley and Mateo Kovacic if Kante is unavailable.
Kante had been recovering from a hamstring injury suffered against Watford on May 5, which saw him withdrawn from that match after just 10 minutes.
Mail Sport's Charlie Skillen is hoping Kante is able to feature:
Aside from Eden Hazard, Kante is perhaps the team's most influential player.
His boundless energy, work ethic and ball-winning abilities are unrivalled in the Blues' squad.
If he's fit, Arsenal will have a much more difficult time playing through the middle of the park as a result of those qualities.
Should he fail to pass the fitness test, it will be a significant boost for the Gunners' chances, and Kovacic and Barkley will need to do their best to mitigate his absence.
Chelsea vs. Arsenal: 2019 Europa League Final Odds and Prediction
May 28, 2019
LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 01: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (14) and Alexandre Lacazette of Arsenal celebrate victory after the the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Newcastle United at Emirates Stadium on April 01, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
Premier League rivals Chelsea and Arsenal face off in an all-English 2019 UEFA Europa League final on Wednesday at the Baku Olympic Stadium in Azerbaijan.
Maurizio Sarri's side finished third in the Premier League, two points and two places higher than Arsenal, and are slight favourites to lift the trophy for the second time in their history.
Arsenal are yet to win the Europa League and are in the final for the first time, but manager Unai Emery has a strong record in the tournament after enjoying three wins with Spanish side Sevilla.
Here's a look at the latest odds, courtesy ofOddschecker:
Chelsea: 29-20
Arsenal: 21-10
Draw (after 90 minutes): 12-5
Chelsea's plans for the final have been disrupted by injuries to key players. Centre-back Antonio Rudiger will miss out after knee surgery, while Callum Hudson-Odoi and Ruben Loftus-Cheek have both had operations after suffering ruptured Achilles tendons.
World Cup winner N'Golo Kante is also a doubt for the game with a knee injury, according to the Guardian's Dominic Fifield. The midfielder is being "closely monitored," and the Blues "have not given up hope" he can play a part.
The good news for Chelsea is that talisman Eden Hazard is fit and available, and he comes into the game off the back of a superb season for the Blues:
Former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho says the Europa League final is likely to represent the Belgium international's last appearance in a blue shirt before a summer move to Real Madrid, per sports journalist Paul Brown:
Mourinho: "It looks like the last match in Blue for Eden Hazard." Says he was "crucial" for Chelsea and "will try to go possibly to #RealMadrid with a last trophy." But is he still "not a player ready to sacrifice himself 100% for the team and the team-mates" Jose? #CFC
Chelsea have already qualified for next season's UEFA Champions League by finishing third in the league but will want to end the season with some silverware, particularly after their defeat in the Carabao Cup final in February.
Goal's Nizaar Kinsella noted another reason why the Blues will want to win on Wednesday:
Chelsea are already in next season's Champions League and are set to be in pot 2 for the competition in 2019-20. A win in the Europa League final would elevate them to pot 1, thus avoiding the likes of Bayern, PSG, Juve and Barcelona in the group stage. #CFC#UEL
Meanwhile, Arsenal must win if they are to play in Europe's top competition next season but have a poor record in European finals and against English teams, as noted by Kinsella:
Arsenal's record in Euro finals and against English teams in Europe is bad...
- Lost 4/5 European finals - Arsenal have beaten teams from every nation they have faced in Europe, except they have never beaten an English team
Yet they do have a manager who knows exactly what it takes to win the Europa League:
3 - After winning the UEFA Europa League in 2013-14, 2014-15 & 2015-16, Unai Emery shares the record for the most UEFA Cup/Europa League titles alongside Giovanni Trapattoni (3). He's the only manager to do this in three successive seasons, however. Success. pic.twitter.com/ajGG1qzYBD
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) May 27, 2019
Both teams have already shown they can beat each other this season. Chelsea won 3-2 in the Premier League at Stamford Bridge in August, while the Gunners won the return game at the Emirates Stadium 2-0 in January.
Prediction
Chelsea have enjoyed the stronger season, but injuries to key players will weaken Sarri's side. Arsenal have impressed in the last two rounds of the competition and have the added motivation of trying to qualify for the Champions League.
Chelsea 1-2 Arsenal
Shkodran Mustafi Defends Arsenal Back Line Ahead of Europa League Final
May 27, 2019
Arsenal's German defender Shkodran Mustafi attends a training session at the Mestalla stadium in Valencia on May 8, 2019 on the eve of the UEFA Europa League semi-final second leg football match between Valencia and Arsenal. (Photo by JOSE JORDAN / AFP) (Photo credit should read JOSE JORDAN/AFP/Getty Images)
Arsenal defender Shkodran Mustafi has defended the team's back line ahead of the UEFA Europa League showdown with Chelsea.
The Gunners finished fifth in the Premier League in Unai Emery's debut term in charge and have performed well in Europe to reach the final. Even so, throughout the campaign there have been defensive issues for Arsenal, with Mustafi himself often culpable for opposition goals.
Speaking ahead of Wednesday's game, the centre-back has defended the way in which the back line has performed, per Nick Miller of ESPN FC:
"If you make 90 per cent of your job and in the 10 per cent the opponent scores a goal, people forget about the 90 per cent. If in the end of the season you made 70 points it is for a reason. I don't think that if the defence is not doing our job you would make 70 points.
"If a striker misses a goal or a penalty or whatever, you get a new opportunity five or 10 minutes later. For us defenders, if you make one mistake and they score, even if in five minutes you save something on the line, people still won't talk about it. You get to live with it because it is part of our job."
In their 38 Premier League games, the Gunners conceded 51 goals, a defensive record that was bettered by the likes Newcastle United, Leicester City and Everton.
There were times throughout the campaign when the team crumbled at the back, and Mustafi has been a liability on occasion. James Benge of Football.London doesn't think the German has enjoyed a positive season:
Leno: 7 Mustafi: 3 Ozil: 4 Lacazette: 9 Aubameyang: 8 Emery: 6 And many more
I rated the 33 players to play for the first team and their head coach https://t.co/3WjivuYjTS
Not only does the team appear to lack cohesion at the back, often they are poorly protected by the midfielders ahead of them. Supporters will be hoping the Gunners invest in defensive positions during the summer.
If Arsenal can find a way of bringing the quality of their defence closer to the standards of their attack, they'll be much more of a force next term. BT Sport reflected on some of the fine work from Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in attack:
🔥 Fire and Ice ❄️
Aubameyang 🤝 Lacazette
Arsenal's dynamic duo have struck up a fearsome partnership this season and produced some fantastic goals! pic.twitter.com/NEsz2ivAEP
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) May 26, 2019
Should Arsenal win on Wednesday and secure UEFA Champions League football for next term, they will need to defend well. In Eden Hazard, Chelsea have a world-class forward to call on, and if there are any lapses at the back for the Gunners, he'll exploit them.
After his comments, there will be an extra focus on Mustafi should he be included in the XI. Arsenal fans will want to see him end a season of disappointment on a high.
Report: Chelsea's N'Golo Kante out of Europa League Final with Knee Injury
May 27, 2019
LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 05: Ngolo Kante of Chelsea during the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Watford FC at Stamford Bridge on May 05, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Chelsea are reportedly set to be without star midfielder N'Golo Kante for Wednesday's UEFA Europa League showdown with Arsenal.
According to Adrian Kajumba of the Daily Mail, the France international is unlikely to recover from a knee injury in time for the match in Baku, Azerbaijan.
"Kante twisted his knee in training on Saturday, and the World Cup winner's absence in Baku on Wednesday night will leave manager Maurizio Sarri down to the bare bones in central midfield," wrote Kajumba.
It's reported Kante was on course to be ready for the game as he sought to recover from a hamstring problem that kept him sidelined for Chelsea's last two Premier League matches of the season. However, this is a new injury.
Sarri had previously said he was confident of the midfielder being ready for the all-English encounter.
While some questions have been asked about Kante's position this season—he's been pushed forward into a more advanced midfield role by Sarri—once again he has been one of the team's most influential players.
Kante has become renowned for his immense defensive work rate, but this season he's been able to chip in at the other end of the pitch, per Opta's Duncan Alexander:
N'Golo Kante with 8 goals/assists in the PL this season, one more than Mesut Ozil and Dele Alli. The true playmaker.
The Frenchman's surges from midfield have been hard for opposition players to track. However, Kante is never a player to shirk his defensive responsibility, as he's quick to recover position and help Chelsea establish a midfield shape when they lose possession.
For Sarri, this is the second major midfield absentee. Ruben Loftus-Cheek has also been ruled out of the match, meaning the Blues are likely to field a midfield trio of Jorginho, Mateo Kovacic and Ross Barkley.
Chelsea finished in fourth place in the Premier League this season, and the Europa League final will cap off a solid debut term for Sarri. With Kante unavailable, the team's chances of success in the showpiece have taken a significant hit.
Europa League 2019 Final Odds, Live Stream, TV Schedule and Predictions
May 27, 2019
Chelsea's Eden Hazard, second right shoots at goalduring the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Chelsea at the Emirates stadium in London, Saturday, Jan. 19, 2019. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
Chelsea and Arsenal will renew their rivalry one last time this season, as they face off in the UEFA Europa League final in Baku, Azerbaijan, on Wednesday.
Bet365 (h/t Oddschecker) has named the Blues as the 11-8 favourites, while the Gunners come in at 12-5. A draw (after 90 minutes) carries odds of 9-4.
BT Sport 2 (UK) and B/R Live (U.S.) will broadcast the match, which is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET.
Chelsea and Arsenal evenly split their Premier League outings this season, with the Blues taking a 3-2 win at home in August and the Gunners winning 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium in January.
The Blues had the better overall season, finishing in third place despite going winless in their last four league outings. Arsenal slumped to fifth place and lost three of four prior to the final matchday, when they beat Burnley 3-1.
Having failed to secure UEFA Champions League football through the league, there's plenty riding on this final for the Gunners. Chelsea have already booked their ticket but will want to end the campaign with a trophy, crowning Maurizio Sarri's first season in charge.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Corriere dello Sport and Tuttosport (h/t Arjun Prandeep), it could also be his only season in charge, as Juventus are eyeing the former Napoli boss:
🇮🇹 📰 | GdS, CdS & TS:
Sarri's request to Juve: - €6m net salary - Pjanić/Dybala are untouchable and focal point of the project. - Relaunch Rugani. - Believe in Bernardeschi, the Champion. - Higuaín returns.
His Arsenal counterpart, Unai Emery, is also set to finish his first campaign in the English game, putting together solid results that could be topped with some silverware:
The team's finish to the domestic campaign was poor, but with a higher emphasis on the Europa League―in which they had to navigate difficult ties against Napoli and Valencia―some regression was to be expected.
The Gunners have already confirmed Henrikh Mkhitaryan won't travel to Azerbaijan, while the Blues could be without a key man of their own. Star midfielder N'Golo Kante is a serious doubt, per the Guardian's Dominic Fifield:
As per @CarefreeYouth this morning, it appears N'Golo Kanté's chances of featuring against Arsenal in Baku have been dashed. #CFC's medical staff due to assess a knee injury picked up in training later this afternoon, but it's not looking good... https://t.co/Kv047HVhSq
The loss of the France international would be huge, especially as Ruben Loftus-Cheek has already been ruled out after undergoing surgery on his Achilles.
A lack of midfield depth could be a major issue for the Blues, but in Eden Hazard they have one of the world's best forwards. His flashes of individual brilliance can often make the difference, and he should feast on a defence that conceded 51 goals in the Premier League―by far the highest among the top five.
Prediction: Chelsea 2-1 Arsenal
Arsene Wenger Says He Is 'At a Crossroads,' May Not Manage Again
May 24, 2019
LILLE, FRANCE - MARCH 30: Arsene Wenger who is born in Strasbourg presents the trophy to the supporters in the middle of the pitch ahead of the French League Cup final (Coupe de la Ligue) between Racing Club de Strasbourg Alsace and En Avant Guingamp (EAG) at Stade Pierre Mauroy on March 30, 2019 in Lille, France. (Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images)
Arsene Wenger has said he will return to football "soon" but that it may not be as a manager.
The Frenchman left his post as Arsenal manager last summer after nearly 22 years at the club.
He has been linked with a number of positions since, most recently the Lyon job, with Bruno Genesio set to depart at the end of the season, per L'Equipe (h/t Get French Football News). The French club has since appointed former Arsenal defender Sylvinho as manager.
However, Wenger, 69, has told DavidOrnsteinof BBC Sport that he may not go back into management at all: "Now I'm at a crossroads. You will see me again in football. As a manager...I don't know. ... Football is still my passion. I will come back soon—but I cannot tell you exactly in what capacity."
Wenger established himself as one of the Premier League's most successful managers during his time at Arsenal, as he won three league titles and seven FA Cups.
One year ago today, Arsene Wenger announced that he would be leaving Arsenal.
In his later years at the club, though, results declined, and he lost the backing of some of the Arsenal fans.
It is clear, though, that Wenger remains dedicated to the club with whom he made his name:
"I miss competition, and I miss Arsenal because I left my heart in there. I gave my life to this club for 22 years. Every minute of my life was dedicated to this club, and I miss the values we developed inside the club. I support Arsenal. It will be forever my club."
Under new head coach Unai Emery, the Gunners have enjoyed a decent 2018-19.
They were unable to finish in the Premier League's top four, but they did pick up 70 points, seven more than in 2017-18, Wenger's last campaign in charge.
Arsenal have another opportunity to qualify for next season's UEFA Champions League when they face Chelsea in the UEFA Europa League final on Wednesday.
The fixture in Baku, Azerbaijan, has caused controversy for a number of reasons, most prominently because Henrikh Mkhitaryan has opted not to play for the Gunners. As an Armenian, the playmaker is concerned about his safety:
'They've had a long time to get these assurances'@SamWallaceTel discusses Mkhitaryan's decision to not play in the Europa League final in Baku.
It's scandalous that @HenrikhMkh will miss the Europa League final in Baku because he's from Armenia - and that Arsenal fans with Armenian names are being denied visas. It shows a deeply ugly side to the beautiful game and is completely unacceptable. pic.twitter.com/KctxUuudTj
As far as Wenger is concerned, it is not an acceptable venue to hold such a key fixture, per Ornstein:
"It's a little bit of a nightmare [for the fans]. The teams have no problem. They live in ideal conditions—they have their private jet, nice business seats. But it's the fans.
"[Mkhitaryan's situation] is something that should not happen in football. I feel it's not normal that in 2019—inside Europe, with very sophisticated democracies—that you cannot play for political reasons."
Chelsea 'Optimistic' N'Golo Kante Will Be Fit for UEL Final After Injury
May 22, 2019
LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 05: Ngolo Kante of Chelsea during the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Watford FC at Stamford Bridge on May 05, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri is "optimistic" midfielder N'Golo Kante will be fit to face Arsenal in the UEFA Europa League final after recovering from a hamstring injury.
The Blues boss told reporters that the France international was back in training and should be available for the final in Baku, Azerbaijan, on May 29: "Of course we are trying to recover Kante. He had a part of the training [on Tuesday] with the group, so we are optimistic. I think he will be able to play the final."
Simon Johnson at the Evening Standard shared footage of Kante taking part in training:
#Kante among the #cfc players training at Cobham this afternoon. As #Sarri said earlier, looks certain to be fit for the Europa League final. pic.twitter.com/4dQNUAA03l
Defender Antonio Rudiger has undergone surgery on a knee injury, while both Callum Hudson-Odoi and Ruben Loftus-Cheek have had operations after each suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon.
Meanwhile, Kante picked up a hamstring problem in Chelsea's final Premier League game of the season against Watford and was forced off after less than 10 minutes.
Sarri blamed himself for the injury after the match:
Sarri admits fault for Kante's injury: "The problem is in his hamstring. Today I made a mistake, because probably he needed a rest." Adds he risked playing him because he is so important. #CFC#CHEWAT
The Chelsea boss will be keen to have the midfielder available as he seeks his first trophy since moving to Stamford Bridge from Napoli in summer 2018.
Kante is an important member of the team, and his energy, ability to win the ball and work rate are a vital part of how Chelsea play.
Squawka Football also highlighted his tackling ability:
Three players have attempted 300+ tackles in the Premier League since 2016/17:
Sarri does have options if Kante does not make it, with Mateo Kovacic the most likely player to come in for the France international.
The 25-year-old has featured regularly this season while on a season-long loan from Real Madrid, but he does not offer the same quality as Chelsea's influential FIFA World Cup winner.
Chelsea vs. Arsenal: Everything to Know About the 2019 UEFA Europa League Final
May 22, 2019
Chelsea's defense has a challenge on its hands containing Alexandre Lacazette in the 2019 Europa League Final.
The 2019 UEFA Europa League Final will be played on Wednesday, May 29 between English Premier League rivals Chelsea and Arsenal. Kickoff is at 3 p.m. ET from Olympic Stadium in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Both clubs are playing in their second Europa League final, with Chelsea having won the competition in 2013 and Arsenal finishing as runner-up in 2000.
Below you can find everything you need to know about the 2019 Europa League Final, including how to watch and stream the match, where to find pre-match coverage, breakdowns and highlights of how each team reached the final, kit, referee and VAR information, a match preview analyzing the managers and key players from each side and past champions of the tournament.
UEFA Europa League Final: How to watch and stream
The 2019 Europa League Final will broadcast live on TNT and stream live on B/R Live. Kickoff is at 3 p.m. ET. You can stream Chelsea vs. Arsenal on B/R Live here as well as on the B/R Live mobile app, Roku, Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV.
In the UK, the game will be broadcast on BT Sport.
Pre- and Post-Match Coverage
Complete pre-match coverage of the Europa League final will begin at 2 p.m. with B/R Football Matchday, which you can watch on both TNT and B/R Live. Kate Abdo, Stu Holden, Maurice Edu and Carlos Bocanegra will broadcast from Turner Sports' B/R Football Matchday studio in Atlanta, while reporter Fernando Perez will contribute from Baku. After the final whistle, B/R Live will stream the trophy presentation and celebrations as well as press conferences from both managers.
Kits and Home Team
Chelsea will be the designated home team for the Europa League Final. During the draw before the quarterfinals in March, Chelsea's side of the bracket was drawn as the eventual home team for the final. Therefore, the Blues are the home team and will get to wear its first-choice all blue kits. Thankfully, there is no color clash with Arsenal's primary kit, allowing the Gunners to wear their customary red and white.
Paths to the Final
Chelsea and Arsenal's strong Europa League performances began in the Group Stage, when both teams went unbeaten on the way to the top of their groups. Chelsea convincingly won Group L with five wins and one draw, with Arsenal equaling that performance in Group E. The Blues have not lost a Europa League match this season, and the Gunners have dropped only two.
The referee for the 2019 Europa League Final is 45-year-old Italian Gianluca Rocchi. It will be Rocchi's first time in charge of a Europa League final. He was the fourth official in the 2010 and 2017 Europa League Finals and was the head referee of the 2017 UEFA Super Cup. Rocchi has refereed six UEFA Champions League matches this season.
The rest of the officials for the final are:
Assistant Referees: Filippo Meli (Italy) and Lorenzo Manganelli (Italy) Fourth official: Daniele Orsato (Italy) Video Assistant Referee (VAR): Massimiliano Irrati (Italy) VAR Assistants: Marco Guida (Italy) and Szymon Marciniak (Poland) Offside VAR: Paweł Sokolnicki (Poland)
Of note: The 2019 final will be the first Europa League match ever to use VAR. VAR will be used to review clear and obvious errors relating to four match-changing instances: goals, incidents in the penalty area, red cards and mistaken identity.
The video assistant referee can either ask the head referee to conduct an on-field review of the replay or, in the example of a clear offsides, inform the referee of the footage without the necessity of a field-level review. However, in all situations, the final decision is made by the referee. Find a full breakdown of VAR in UEFA competition here.
Extra Time and Penalties
If Chelsea and Arsenal are tied after 90 minutes, the match will go into extra time. Extra time consists of two 15-minute halves, each with a referee-determined amount of stoppage time. Each club will receive an extra substitution—a fourth of the match—upon reaching extra time.
There is no sudden death or golden goal in extra time. Rather, a full 30 minutes of extra time will be played, regardless of how many goals are scored by either side. If a team is ahead after extra time, it wins the match.
If the score is still tied after extra time, the match will go to penalty kicks from 12 yards out. Each manager will select five of his own players and the order they take the penalties. The penalty shootout lasts five rounds, with one round constituting one penalty taken by each team. Whichever side converts more penalties of the five wins the shootout and the match.
If still tied after the initial five rounds, the shootout will go to sudden death. Each team will send a player to the penalty spot until one team's player scores and the other's does not. Each subsequent penalty taker must be a player who hasn't gone yet. It is possible for the shootout to reach the eleventh round, when goalkeepers are required to shoot, before the order returns to the top. Players who were subbed off during the match or who were left on the bench are not eligible to take a penalty.
What Does the Winning Team Receive?
Aside from the pride and joy of winning the competition, the biggest prize the Europa League champion receives is an automatic berth into the group stage of next season's UEFA Champions League. Given its fifth-place finish in the English Premier League, this award is especially significant to Arsenal because it's the Gunners last hope of playing Champions League football in 2019-20. Chelsea finished third in the EPL, guaranteeing a spot in the Group Stage, so the Blues squad will be playing for a trophy and the $50 million payout the winning club receives from UEFA.
Match Preview
The London rivals in the all-English final are very familiar with each other, having met twice already this season in Premier League play. Chelsea won 3-2 at Stamford Bridge, then Arsenal won 2-0 at Emirates Stadium. Chelsea won the only Europa League final it has ever reached, a 2-1 victory over Benfica in 2013, while Arsenal fell on penalties to Galatasaray in its only UEFA Cup final in 2000.
Italian manager Maurizio Sarri is in his first season with the Blues after spending three seasons in charge of Napoli, where his side played in the Europa League twice and Champions League once but never made it past the first knockout round in either competition.
His counterpart on the touchline in Baku will be Unai Emery, who has considerable experience around Europe, having managed Valencia, Spartak Moscow, Sevilla and PSG before his current role at Arsenal. Emery's greatest European success came with Sevilla, where he led the Spanish club to a Europa League three-peat from 2014-2016.
On the injury front, Chelsea has some good and bad news going into the final. First the bad: midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who has 4 Europa League goals, will miss the final with a left Achilles injury. On the good side: midfielder N'Golo Kante has returned to training ahead of the final after missing time with a hamstring strain.
For Arsenal, the biggest absence will not be injury related. Armenian midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan will not travel to Baku for safety reasons due to a longstanding conflict between his native Armenia and Azerbaijan that dates back to 1917.
On the pitch, keep your eyes glued to a pair of high-scoring duos that have had dominant runs in Europa League this season. The competition's leading scorer Olivier Giroud (10 goals) leads Chelsea's attack, and he will be joined by Eden Hazard—whose winning penalty sent the Blues to the final—in what could be the electric midfielder's last match with the club. With different lineups from Sarri, Giroud and Hazard have not been on the field a whole lot in Europa League, but together they form a significant danger to the Arsenal back line.
At the other end, David Luiz and Chelsea's backline will have to figure out what no one else in the competition has been able to: how to cool off Pierre-Emerick Aubamayeng and Alexandre Lacazette. That combo scored all seven of the Gunners' goals over both legs of the semifinals against Valencia, including an Aubamayeng hat trick in Leg 2. In Europa League play, they have combined for 13 goals and 7 assists. The 2019 Europa League Final could turn into a track meet.
Previous Winners
Formerly known as the UEFA Cup, the Europa League era began with a new format in 2009-10. Here's every winner of the competition since then:
2018: Atletico Madrid 2017: Manchester United 2016: Sevilla 2015: Sevilla 2014: Sevilla 2013: Chelsea 2012: Atletico Madrid 2011: Porto 2010: Atletico Madrid
Petr Cech to Decide Future After UEL Final Amid Chelsea Sporting Director Talk
May 22, 2019
Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech said he will not decide his future until after the UEFA Europa League final with Chelsea amid reports he'll join the Blues as a sporting director this summer.
Cech has announced his decision to retire from playing at the end of the season, and he'll reportedly be returning to his old club:
Petr Cech is set to return to Chelsea as a sporting director, according to @SkySportsNews.
His final game as a player will be the Europa League final with Arsenal…against Chelsea. pic.twitter.com/94qVmuUrjl
The 37-year-old took to Twitter following the reports:
Despite the news today as I had already said to everybody before , I’ll make decision about my future after the last game . Now my sole focus is to win the EL with @Arsenal .
Cech made 494 appearances for Chelsea in 11 seasons with the club before he left for Arsenal in 2015.
During his time at Stamford Bridge, he won four Premier League titles and as many FA Cups, three League Cups and the UEFA Champions League and Europa League once apiece.
The stopper has been behind Bernd Leno, who arrived last summer, in the pecking order at Arsenal this season, but he has been their No. 1 choice in the knockout phase of the Europa League.
Football.London's James Benge has no qualms about Cech playing against Chelsea in the final on May 29 even if he might join them this summer:
Shouldn’t surprise anyone that Cech is heading back to Chelsea, if that is the case. But I wouldn’t question his professionalism for a split second. If he plays he will give his all for Arsenal. Anything else is immaterial on the pitch.
Nor would Goal's Charles Watts, though he would personally opt for Leno:
Arsenal would have found a role for Cech, but there has always been an acceptance he would be going back to Chelsea. I would play Leno in Baku purely because he is the better keeper, but no way would I have doubts over Cech's integrity or anything like that.
It leaves manager Unai Emery with a dilemma for the showpiece.
Having utilised Cech throughout the knockout phase, it could be somewhat harsh to drop him for the final and what would be the last game of his excellent career.
On the other hand, Leno has leapfrogged Cech in the pecking order because the veteran is well past his prime, so using the German will give the Gunners a better chance of lifting the trophy and securing Champions League football for next season.
Arsenal Confirm Henrikh Mkhitaryan Will Miss Europa League Final in Azerbaijan
May 21, 2019
Arsenal have confirmed midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan will not travel with the squad to Baku, Azerbaijan, for the upcoming UEFA Europa League final against Chelsea due to safety concerns.
The club released a statement on Tuesday explaining the decision for Armenia international Mkhitaryan to remain in London, acknowledging him as a "big loss" for Unai Emery's side:
"We have thoroughly explored all the options for Micki to be part of the squad but after discussing this with Micki and his family, we have collectively agreed he will not be in our travelling party.
"We have written to UEFA expressing our deep concerns about this situation. Micki has been a key player in our run to the final, so this is a big loss for us from a team perspective.
"We're also very sad that a player will miss out on a major European final in circumstances such as this, as it is something that comes along very rarely in a footballer's career."
UEFA later responded to the decision for Mkhitaryan not to travel, releasing their own statement, via Chris Burton of Goal:
“Working alongside Arsenal FC, UEFA sought and received assurances regarding the player’s safety in Azerbaijan from the highest authorities in the country.
“As a result of these guarantees, a comprehensive security plan was developed and given to the club.
“While the club acknowledges the efforts that UEFA and the Azeri government have gone to in this matter, we respect the personal decision not to travel with the player.”
Mkhitaryan, 30, has been at the centre of debate over security concerns due to diplomatic relations between his nation and Azerbaijan, perJoe Tannerof Sky Sports News.
London rivals Arsenal and Chelsea will meet on Wednesday, May 29 in what will be the former's first major European final since they lost 2-1 to Barcelona in the 2006 UEFA Champions League decider. After finishing fifth in the Premier League, it's also their only route back into next season's top-tier competition.
Azerbaijan's UK ambassador, Tahir Taghizadeh, earlier told Sky Sports News the player would be safe to play on May 29 and said Mkhitaryan could contact him directly if he needed assurances:
Will politics prevent Henrikh Mkhitaryan from playing in the Europa League final?
"His problem is that he has visited a military occupied portion of Azerbaijan which in doing so without permission from Azerbaijani government. This entails consequences including blacklisted by the government. But he will be able to have security and safety guarantees.
"My message to Mkhitaryan would be: you're a footballer, you want to play football? Go to Baku you are safe there, if you want to play the issue then that's a different story."
The Guardian's Amy Lawrence reported last week that tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan—caused by a dispute over the Nagorno-Karabakh region—could force Arsenal to leave their player in London.
There has been little communication from UEFA on the matter ahead of next week's fixture in Baku, and Lawrence expressed concern:
Having said that, Mkhitaryan has played in 11 of Arsenal's 14 Europa League games and played more minutes in this year's competition than Lacazette, Torreira, Ozil, Ramsey, Iwobi, Guendouzi. Since Arsenal raised it there is no update. There is something very wrong about all this.
European football's governing body has been criticised for its decision to hold the Europa League final in Baku, and also for allocating Arsenal and Chelsea only 12,000 of the 68,700 seats at the Olympic Stadium.
UEFA defended its venue decision and offered to work with Arsenal in order to ease fans' travel plans after the Gunners released a statement questioning the location of the final, per BBC Sport.
Mkhitaryan has earned 82 caps for Armenia—third-highest of any player—and is their all-time record scorer with 27 goals.
He and Alex Iwobi have been among Unai Emery's main wide options for much of this season. His absence could see Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyand both start, while the Daily Mail's Sami Mokbel wrote Danny Welbeck could return in Baku after almost seven months out (though he's unlikely to start).
The Mirror's John Cross was also frustrated with the lack of official security guarantees for Arsenal's player ahead of the final:
For three days I’ve been asking Uefa about Henrikh Mkhitaryan and still no assurances on the player’s safety. Arsenal have asked for further assurances. None forthcoming. Absolutely outrageous. If Arsenal lose and he’s not played, what then?
Arsenal have announced their decision more than one week before the final, but the statement added the player would remain with the squad in their preparations until they leave London.
Mkhitaryan has scored six goals this season and also recorded seven assists, three of which have come in the Europa League.
