UEFA Europa League

Arsenal midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan is "guaranteed" to be safe at the UEFA Europa League final in Baku, Azerbaijan, according to the Azerbaijan FA's general secretary Elkhan Mammadov. 

Mkhitaryan is an Armenia international and there is no diplomatic relationship between the two countries as a result of tension over the Nagorno-Karabakh region. As such, there has been speculation that the Gunners may opt to leave the player out of the travelling party for the showdown with Chelsea on May 29.

Speaking to Sam Dean of the Daily Telegraph, Mammadov said the Azerbaijan FA and UEFA have long considered the prospect of Arsenal making the final and the unique case of Mkhitaryan:

"Our government authorities provided guarantees to UEFA for Mkhitaryan to come to Baku, so there is no issue of security and safety.

"Even before Arsenal qualified for the final, we received a request from UEFA to provide the guarantees, our state authorities provided all the necessary security arrangements for Mkhitaryan to travel to Baku. All the safety and security is already guaranteed."

Amy Lawrence of the Guardian commented on the difficult situation for the former Manchester United and Borussia Dortmund star, noting how big a role he has played in the team's run to the final:

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.

— Amy Lawrence (@amylawrence71) May 16, 2019

According to Dean, Arsenal have yet to decide whether or not Mkhitaryan will be in the squad for the all-English encounter.

"The assurances are unlikely to convince Arsenal that including Mkhitaryan in the squad is worth the heightened risk, however," Dean said. "There were similar guarantees ahead of Arsenal’s group stage match in Baku earlier this season, when Mkhitaryan was left behind in London."

James Benge of Football.London provided further details regarding the conflict:

No mention in UEFA's statement that Henrikh Mkhitaryan will almost certainly not be able to travel to Baku because his safety cannot be guaranteed.

Worth remembering that just over a year before Baku was given the final 30 soldiers died in clashes around Nagorno-Karabakh.

— James Benge (@jamesbenge) May 17, 2019

John Cross of the Daily Mirror said he has struggled to attain clarity over Mkhitaryan's safety from European football's governing body:

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?

— John Cross (@johncrossmirror) May 16, 2019

In addition to the controversy surrounding the Arsenal midfielder, the choice of host city for the final and the ticket allocations to each club have drawn complaints.

The Gunners released a statement on their official website in which they said they're "bitterly disappointed" for supporters, who have been allocated just 6,000 tickets in the 68,700-seat Olympic Stadium; the same number has been allocated to Chelsea fans.

In the bulletin, the Gunners also reference the "travel challenges" that will face supporters coming from England for the game in Azerbaijan. According to Simon Johnson of the Evening Standard, only 3,000 tickets have been bought by Arsenal fans.

The general secretary of the Azerbaijan Football Association has fired back at Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp over his questioning the decision to have the UEFA Europa League final in Baku, the nation's capital.

Per Paul Gorst of the Liverpool Echo, the secretary, Elkhan Mammadov, disagreed that there should be a geographical limit on where finals take place. 

"I was unpleasantly surprised by the remarks of Jurgen Klopp. He always gave an impression of a very positive person. Moreover, we all know that he is a great specialist who has achieved really outstanding results in football.

"But with all this, I strongly disagree with his opinion that football should be geographically limited. We must respect and promote the values of football. And one of our main values is the expansion of the boundaries of football and its globalisation.

"Europe has long gone beyond the borders of the countries of the western part of this continent. And I am convinced that holding European Championship matches and European Cup finals in Eastern Europe opens up new opportunities for developing football in these countries, serves to make it more popular among the younger generation, attracts young people to football.

"The same can be said about the organisation of the Champions League final in Kiev or 10 years [14 years] ago in Istanbul."

He went on to state Seville and Istanbul were also candidates to host the final, with no city nearer London stepping up.

Per Gorst, Klopp said the decision-makers have to be "more sensible and reasonable" when awarding finals to cities, and while he bemoaned the high costs of having a final in Madrid, the Spanish capital is "not in another part of the world."

Klopp and the Reds will face Tottenham Hotspur in the UEFA Champions League final in Madrid on June 1.

The Mirror's David Maddock shared part of his comments:

Klopp produces the perfect comment on holding a final in Baku. "These guys who make these decisions, I don't know what they have for breakfast." #LFC

— David Maddock (@MaddockMirror) May 10, 2019

Arsenal manager Unai Emery also voiced his disapproval, wishing the final was played closer to London, as it will be contested by the Gunners and Chelsea on May 29. Per the report, the two teams have been allocated just 12,000 tickets each for a stadium that seats almost 70,000.

ESPN UK illustrated the enormous travel distance on Twitter:

Find the best way to make the journey to Baku here 👇https://t.co/RrQRXafyDx

— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) May 10, 2019

The city of Baku has invested heavily in sports in recent years. The Formula One Grand Prix of Azerbaijan has been held on a street circuit since 2017, with the track seeing its first use a year earlier for the European Grand Prix.

There will also be four Euro 2020 matches in Baku, all at the Olympic Stadium, which opened in 2015. The stadium has no regular tenant at club level, as Qarabag only use it in European competitions.

Arsenal legend Martin Keown believes Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang proved he is the "closest thing" the club have to former striker Thierry Henry with his hat-trick against Valencia in the UEFA Europa League semi-finals on Thursday.

The 29-year-old was the key man for the Gunners as they beat the La Liga side 4-2 at the Mestalla Stadium to advance to the final on a 7-3 aggregate victory (U.S. only):

https://twitter.com/brlive/status/1126622879347404800

Keown was full of praise for Aubameyang, noting that his absence in the Europa League knockout stages last term was a big blow as Arsenal were eliminated in the semi-finals by eventual champions Atletico Madrid, per BT Sport (h/t MailOnline's Nathan Salt):

"I have said it before but he is the closest thing to [Thierry] Henry and he is proving that tonight. We are getting out of our chairs every time he has the ball. Let's credit [Unai] Emery as well for playing both of those strikers and [Mesut] Ozil as well. He was cup-tied last year and boy did Arsenal miss him. He was [Eden] Hazard-like running with the ball at times tonight. He became a top player for me tonight. I've said he is the closest thing to Henry and he showed it."

Henry won two Premier League titles in his Arsenal career between 1999 and 2007 and is the club's all-time record goalscorer with 228 goals in 377 appearances.

Since Aubameyang joined Arsenal from Borussia Dortmund in January 2018, he has netted 39 goals in 63 appearances.

The Gabon international has scored 20 goals in the Premier League this term, two fewer than top scorer Mohamed Salah.

And his treble on Thursday moved him to eight goals in this season's Europa League, two behind leading scorers Olivier Giroud and Luka Jovic.

Arsenal will face Chelsea in the Europa League final in Baku, Azerbaijan, on May 29 after the Blues won their semi-final via a penalty shootout against Eintracht Frankfurt:

It’s an all-London affair in Baku ✈️ pic.twitter.com/s3vKIR0ADj

— B/R Football (@brfootball) May 9, 2019

The Gunners will need to beat their London rivals in order to secure UEFA Champions League football next season, as they look set to finish outside the top four in the Premier League barring a remarkable set of results on Sunday's final day:

As if you needed reminding...#PL pic.twitter.com/JorY1uF9rM

— Premier League (@premierleague) May 9, 2019

Aubameyang will be crucial if Arsenal are to lift their first European trophy since the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1994.

He showed against Valencia he can be relied upon to step up on the biggest occasions, and the final provides Arsenal with a huge opportunity to return to Europe's top tier after two seasons out of the Champions League. 

Chelsea will take on Arsenal in an all-English Europa League final after the two Premier League sides came out on top from their semi-finals on Thursday.

The Europa League final is set! 🍿 pic.twitter.com/D44nVhcAf8

— B/R Football (@brfootball) May 9, 2019

Maurizio Sarri's men needed penalties to dispatch Eintracht Frankfurt after the two teams drew 2-2 on aggregate after extra time in the second leg at Stamford Bridge.

Cesar Azpilicueta missed his spot-kick for the hosts, but Blues goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga played his part by saving from Martin Hinteregger and Goncalo Paciencia:

Whatever works 💪 pic.twitter.com/QbITGIGyqN

— B/R Football (@brfootball) May 9, 2019

The Spaniard's stops allowed Eden Hazard to net the winning penalty and send Chelsea into a final with Arsenal, who beat Valencia 4-2 at Mestalla to win their semi-final clash 7-3 on aggregate.

Striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang grabbed a hat-trick for the Gunners, and Alexandre Lacazette was also on target in an impressive win for Unai Emery's side.

The two London teams have already met twice this season in the Premier League and have one win apiece. The Blues beat Arsenal 3-2 at Stamford Bridge in August, but the Gunners gained revenge with a 2-0 victory at the Emirates in January.

    

Date: Wednesday, May 29

Time: 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET

Venue: Olympic Stadium, Baku, Azerbaijan

    

Europa League Final Preview

Arsenal head into the final hoping to finish a disappointing season on a high by lifting the Europa League trophy and securing UEFA Champions League qualification.

The Gunners are fifth in the Premier League and will likely miss out on a top-four finish with only one matchday remaining, so their best chance of playing in Europe's elite competition is to beat Chelsea in Baku.

Emery's side have been defensively suspect all season, but in Lacazette and Aubameyang, they possess two prolific strikers good enough to fire them to glory:

Arsenal’s last 8 goals in the #UEL:

⚽️ Lacazette
⚽️ Lacazette
⚽️ Lacazette
⚽️ Aubameyang
⚽️ Aubameyang
⚽️ Lacazette
⚽️ Aubameyang
⚽️ Aubameyang

An incredible partnership for Arsenal 👏 pic.twitter.com/gsHoJF9k2x

— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) May 9, 2019

Aubameyang was in sensational form against Valencia and took his tally on the season to 29 in all competitions for Arsenal.

His partnership with Lacazette has flourished this season, and the duo will fancy taking on a Chelsea side shorn of key centre-back Antonio Rudiger due to injury.

The game will also be notable for Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech taking on his former side in what will be his last game before he retires from the sport. The Czech enjoyed a glittering career with the Blues and will be aiming to lift the trophy for the second time in his career, having won it with the west London club in 2013.

Yet Chelsea present a stern test and may be feeling less pressure as they have already guaranteed their place in next season's Champions League through their league position.

The Blues made hard work of overcoming Frankfurt despite Ruben Loftus-Cheek enhancing his growing reputation by putting them ahead at Stamford Bridge (UK only):

Ruben Loftus-Cheek is on 🔥 right now!

He grabs his 10th of the season and Chelsea lead Frankfurt...

Eden Hazard in the build-up 😍 pic.twitter.com/OvatvJfm2P

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) May 9, 2019

However, Luka Jovic hit back for the visitors. Neither team could find another goal as the game went all the way to penalties.

Hazard secured Chelsea's progression with the last kick of the game, and the final may represent the Belgian's last game in a blue shirt. The 28-year-old is expected to leave the club in the summer and wants to secure a move to Real Madrid, according to Liam Twomey and Julien Laurens at ESPN FC.

Journalist Kristof Terreur noted how impressive he had been again this season:

The Hazard tally is at 35. The goals he’s directly in involved.

⚽️ Scored 19 goals
🅰️ Provided 16 goals#cfc pic.twitter.com/DEHlxSKfZo

— Kristof Terreur (@kristofterreur) May 9, 2019

Former Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud has also been doing the business in the Europe this season. The France forward has 10 goals in the competition this season and is the tournament's joint-top scorer.

In what will mark the first time that two English teams will meet in the Europa League final, Aubameyang and Lacazette's form means Arsenal look to have the edge when it comes to attacking firepower, and the added motivation of securing a place in the Champions League may also prove crucial.

Prediction: Chelsea 1-2 Arsenal

An English club will win the Europa League as Chelsea prepares to take on Arsenal in the final.

Although the May 29 match is expected to be a close one, oddsmakers currently list Chelsea as the favorite to take home the trophy:

Title odds, via @CaesarsPalace

Chelsea: -140
Arsenal: +120 https://t.co/lx5aKy8r28

— br_betting (@br_betting) May 9, 2019

Arsenal had a much easier time in the semifinal while winning 7-3 on aggregate over Valencia, while Chelsea needed penalties to get by Frankfurt.

The Blues had a number of close calls that could have ended their title hopes but still came away with a win:

https://twitter.com/brfootball/status/1126598567827726336

https://twitter.com/brfootball/status/1126609775892893696

Despite the struggles from Thursday, Chelsea have been slightly better than their Premier League rivals this season. The squad head into the final match of the league year with 71 points in 37 matches, four better than Arsenal.

On the other hand, these clubs have split the two head-to-head matchups against each other this season, each earning a win at home.

The familiarity and the close level of talent could lead to a tightly contested battle when they get together on a neutral field at Baku Olympic Stadium in Azerbaijan.

The result could come down to how the stars perform in that match as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang tries to outplay Eden Hazard in one last important battle of the season.

Chelsea reached the UEFA Europa League final after defeating Eintracht Frankfurt on penalties in the second leg of the semi-final in London on Thursday.

The match ended 1-1 with the aggregate scores tied at 2-2 and, as both teams held an away goal, extra time was needed.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek had given the hosts the lead after 28 minutes but the visitors struck back at the start of the second half through Luka Jovic after a defensive lapse.

David Luiz and Davide Zappacosta saved Chelsea as they both cleared off the line and it was the Bundesliga outfit who were in the ascendancy during extra time.

Cesar Azpilicueta thought he had won the game for Chelsea at the death as he bundled the ball home but the defender was penalised for a foul as the goal was disallowed.

Penalties were needed to find a winner and it was Chelsea who prevailed 4-3 to reach the final, with Eden Hazard scoring the deciding spot kick.

                 

Loftus-Cheek Must Be A Regular Starter Next Term

It should have been a simple night for the Blues as they dominated the ball and possession in west London.

However, with the tempo reaching Premier League levels, it was the German side that grew in stature throughout the second half.

Chelsea's central protagonist was Loftus-Cheek. The England international is ready to be one of the first names on Sarri's starting sheet.

The 23-year-old was cool and calm as he slotted home after 28 minutes, and the feeling in that moment was the Blues would skip to the final with ease.

The midfielder has been excellent in the Europa League and his influence has been clear to see:

https://twitter.com/brfootball/status/1126576814841892864

Frankfurt were determined after the interval, and the version of Chelsea that's disappointed on many occasions this term was evident again.

The visitors grabbed the equaliser through Jovic four minutes into the second half and the hosts lacked the creativity needed to hurt their opponents.

Hazard remained subdued as Pedro climbed off the bench, and Sarri stubbornly stuck to his game plan rather than triggering a tactical change.

Loftus-Cheek was substituted to disapproving jeers from the Chelsea crowd with five minutes remaining. The player continues to struggle to complete 90 minutes under the Blues boss and should have remained on the pitch after a strong display.

Extra time and penalties were needed to decide the affair, and after spot-kick misses from Azpilicueta for Chelsea and Martin Hinteregger and Goncalo Paciencia for Frankfurt, it was left to Hazard to score the winning effort.

                                                                       

What's Next

Both teams are back in domestic action on Sunday. Chelsea play their final Premier League game of the season as they visit Leicester City, and Frankfurt host Mainz in the Bundesliga.

Chelsea will meet Arsenal in Europa League final at the Olympic Stadium in Baku, Azerbaijan on Wednesday, May 29.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored a hat-trick to send Arsenal into the 2019 Europa League final after beating Valencia 4-2 at Mestalla on Thursday to complete a 7-3 aggregate victory:  

Arsenal are headed to their first European final since 2006! ✈️ pic.twitter.com/Z5CLSzg9d7

— B/R Football (@brfootball) May 9, 2019

The hosts got off to a fast start and took the lead after just 11 minutes. Rodrigo Moreno slid in a low cross for Kevin Gameiro to slot home at the far post.

Valencia were on top and looking dangerous but Arsenal managed to level six minutes later. Alexandre Lacazette headed the ball on to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to fire home the equaliser.

Lacazette made it 2-1 to the Gunners shortly after the break with a lovely turn and finish before Gameiro bundled home his second of the night for Valencia.

Aubameyang then wrapped up the win in some style by converting Ainsley Maitland-Niles' low cross and later smashing a shot past Neto at his near post to complete a memorable night for Unai Emery's side.

      

Aubameyang, Lacazette are Europe's Top Strike Partnership

Aubameyang and Lacazette once again came up with the goods to fire Arsenal past Valencia and into the Europa League final.

Arsenal were under the cosh in the opening stages after Gameiro's goal. The early strike filled the hosts with confidence, and they were piling on the pressure until the duo combined for an equaliser.

Lacazette did well to head the ball on to Aubameyang, and the Gabon international applied an excellent finish to half-volley past Neto for his 27th goal of another prolific season:

27 - Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has netted 27 goals in all competitions this season, a haul only Sergio Aguero (31) can better among Premier League players. Gold. pic.twitter.com/Z4Lt16L7Rz

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) May 9, 2019

The goal killed Valencia's momentum and allowed Arsenal to settle after a difficult start. They might have had a second shortly before half-time when Aubameyang teed up Lacazette, but the Frenchman's strike skimmed the outside of the post and went wide.

Goal's Charles Watts offered his view of Aubameyang's performance:

Honestly think this has been Aubameyang's best 45 minutes for Arsenal. He has been superb, run himself into the ground.

— Charles Watts (@charles_watts) May 9, 2019

However, Lacazette did not have to wait too long for his goal. The 27-year-old turned and finished clinically after good work from Lucas Torreira just four minutes into the second half:

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang:

🔥 27 goals, 7 assists

Alexandre Lacazette:

💥 18 goals, 11 assists

The best partnership in world football? pic.twitter.com/sy7LKyW09z

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) May 9, 2019

Gameiro bundled home his second for Valencia just before the hour to make it 2-2 on the night as the hosts began to dominate the game again.

Yet once more Aubameyang popped up with another goal to put Arsenal back in front.

Maitland-Niles sent in a cross from the right for the striker to run on to and finish at the near post (U.S. only):

https://twitter.com/brlive/status/1126585242599546881

Aubameyang then completed his hat-trick with 88 minutes on the clock, finishing a neat move with a fierce finish into the roof of the net from close range.

Eurosport's Tom Adams offered his view:

https://twitter.com/tomadams83/status/1126590147900903426

It was a performance that showed Aubameyang and Lacazette are Europe's best strike partnership, and the duo's goals and understanding will give the Gunners confidence they can go on and claim victory in the final.

      

What's Next?

Arsenal progress to a final against Chelsea at the Olympic Stadium in Baku, Azerbaijan on May 29.

Arsenal return to action on Sunday when they take on Burnley in their final Premier League game of the season at Turf Moor. Valencia play on the same day at home to Alaves in La Liga.

Arsenal take a 3-1 lead to Valencia for the second leg of their UEFA Europa League semi-final at Mestalla Stadium on Thursday.

Two goals from Alexandre Lacazette and a Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang strike handed the Gunners victory and the advantage in the tie, but Mouctar Diakhaby's away goal will have given Los Che hope of a comeback.

Marcelino's side warmed up for the game with a 6-2 thrashing of Huesca in La Liga on Sunday, while Arsenal were held to a disappointing Premier League draw at home to Brighton & Hove Albion.

       

Date: Thursday, May 9

Time: 8 p.m. BST, 3 p.m. ET

TV Info: BT Sport 2 (UK), UniMas (U.S.)

Live Stream: BT Sport Live (UK), B/R Live (U.S.)

Match Odds (via Oddschecker): Valencia 5-6, Draw 3-1, Arsenal 11-4

       

Match Preview

Arsenal look to have one foot in the Europa League final after the first leg, and they will probably need to win the competition if they are to be playing UEFA Champions League football next season.

Sunday's demoralising draw with Brighton leaves the Gunners needing results to go in their favour on the Premier League's final day if they are to secure a top-four finish:

To finish in the top four now, Arsenal need:

- To beat Burnley
- Everton to beat Tottenham
- An eight goal swing in the process

😔 #ARSBHA pic.twitter.com/r3V6XK9q9Y

— GOAL (@goal) May 5, 2019

Arsenal's two-goal advantage over Valencia will give the Gunners confidence, but the team have been poor away from home this season and have won just six of 18 Premier League games on their travels.

They have been slightly better in European competition with four wins out of six on the road, including an impressive 1-0 victory in Napoli last time out.

Yet Arsenal remain defensively frail which will give Valencia hope of pulling off a successful comeback:

50 - Arsenal have conceded at least 50 goals in consecutive top-flight campaigns for the first time since 1982-83/1983-84. Trouble. #ARSBHA

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) May 5, 2019

The La Liga side's only defeat at Mestalla this season in Europe came in the group stage of the Champions League against Juventus.

They beat both Manchester United and Young Boys in Europe's top competition before dropping into the Europa League and tasting victories over Celtic, Krasnodar and Villarreal.

Valencia striker Rodrigo Moreno has promised an attacking approach against Arsenal:

🗣️ Rodrigo Moreno: ''Our mentality is going ALL-OUT''#VCFArsenal pic.twitter.com/ddHLRDmHmI

— Valencia CF (@valenciacf_en) May 7, 2019

Arsenal will need to tighten up defensively if they are to progress to a final against either Chelsea or Eintracht Frankfurt in Baku, Azerbaijan. The Gunners have put themselves in a strong position to progress but may need an away goal if they are to see off Valencia.

Chelsea take on Eintracht Frankfurt at Stamford Bridge on Thursday for a place in the UEFA Europa League final and have the edge after a 1-1 draw in Germany in the first leg.

Luka Jovic headed the Bundesliga side into the lead at the Commerzbank-Arena, but Pedro's equaliser means the Blues have a valuable away goal and will progress with a 0-0 draw.

Chelsea go into the game after securing a top-four finish on Sunday with a 3-0 Premier League win over Watford.

The victory means the Blues will be playing UEFA Champions League football next season and takes some of the pressure off Maurizio Sarri's side, but they will still want to end the season by lifting a European trophy.

        

Date: Thursday, May 9

Time: 8 p.m. BST, 3 p.m. ET

TV Info: BT Sport 3 (UK), Univision Deportes (U.S.)

Live Stream: BT Sport Live (UK), B/R Live (U.S.)

Match Odds (via Oddschecker): Chelsea 4-11, Draw 4-1, Eintracht Frankfurt 13-2

          

Match Preview

Chelsea look as though they will have to cope without key midfielder N'Golo Kante for the second leg after he was forced off with a hamstring injury against Watford.

Sarri said the France international is likely to miss Thursday's game and their final Premier League match against Leicester City:

Sarri reports that N'Golo Kante suffered a hamstring injury and admits that today he probably shoud have been rested, although that is difficult with important players. He adds that it will be difficult for Kante to play in the next two matches. #CHEWAT

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) May 5, 2019

Kante's absence will be a blow to Chelsea, but the World Cup winner has called on his side to finish their campaign strongly, per Goal's Nizaar Kinsella.

"At the end, we all want a good season and to finish well," he said. "So we hope we can get what we want on Thursday and go to the final. We want to qualify for the Champions League and get a trophy. It would be a great finish."

Sarri left star man Eden Hazard out of the starting XI for the first leg, but the Belgium international is likely to return on what may be his last appearance at Stamford Bridge for the club.

Hazard is keen to secure a summer move to Real Madrid and is considering handing in a transfer request, according to Mario Cortegana at AS.

Chelsea will also look to Olivier Giroud to provide the goals, and the French forward has been in superb form in the competition:

Three players have been directly involved in 10+ goals in the Europa League this season:

Olivier Giroud (13)
⚽ 10 goals
🎯 3 assists

Willian (10)
⚽ 3 goals
🎯 7 assists

Luka Jović (10)
⚽ 9 goals
🎯 1 assist

Leading the way. pic.twitter.com/tC1iO3wn7b

— Squawka (@Squawka) May 3, 2019

Yet Frankfurt have threats of their own through prolific striker Jovic and will also welcome Croatia international Ante Rebic back from suspension, although Sebastien Haller remains out with an abdominal injury:

Eintracht Frankfurt's forwards in the Bundesliga and Europa League this season:

Luka Jovic
⚽️ 25 goals
🅰️ 6 assist

Filip Kostic
⚽️ 8 goals
🅰️ 11 assists

Ante Rebic
⚽️ 10 goals
🅰️ 5 assists

Sébastien Haller
⚽️ 19 goals
🅰️ 12 assists

Absolutely lethal up-top. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/nITv08n7i8

— Squawka (@Squawka) April 16, 2019

Frankfurt come into the game fresh from a 6-1 thrashing by Bayer Leverkusen, although manager Adi Hutter did make four changes to his side to keep some of his players fresh for the second leg.

Sporting director Fredi Bobic tried to play down the defeat after the final whistle and highlighted Frankfurt's great form this season, per the Guardian's Andy Brassell.

"One mustn't forget that this is only our second defeat of the second half of the season," he said. "It means nothing for Thursday."

Frankfurt have the attacking power to cause Chelsea problems at Stamford Bridge, but the home side look the stronger side and will be expected to progress to a final against either Arsenal or Valencia.

Arsenal and Chelsea each hold the upper hand in their respective UEFA Europa League semi-finals as they prepare for second-leg fixtures against Valencia and Eintracht Frankfurt on Thursday.

The Gunners hold a 3-1 advantage after beating Valencia at home but have been poor on the road in recent months, winning only two of their last eight games away from the Emirates Stadium.

Maurizio Sarri's Chelsea will guarantee their place in the final if they keep a clean sheet at home to Eintracht. Pedro struck in Germany last Thursday to secure a 1-1 draw and a crucial away goal for the Blues, who won this competition in 2013 and could still end their maiden campaign under Sarri with silverware.

A pair of London giants fight to ensure we see an all-English final at the Olympic Stadium in Baku, Azerbaijan, on May 29, but two other European contenders will have a say in denying their claims to the throne. 

       

Semi-Final Leg 2 Schedule, Predictions, TV Info

Thursday, May 9

Valencia 2-0 Arsenal, 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET, BT Sport 2 (UK), Unimas (U.S.)

Chelsea 2-1 Eintracht Frankfurt, 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET, BT Sport 3 (UK), Univision Deportes (U.S.)

Valencia (away goals) and Chelsea to advance to the final.

       

Live Stream: B/R Live (U.S.), BT Sport app (UK), fuboTV (U.S.), Univision Deportes en Vivo (U.S.)

      

Match Odds

Valencia (5-6), Draw (3-1), Arsenal (11-4)

Chelsea (4-11), Draw (4-1), Eintracht Frankfurt (7-1)

Via Oddschecker.com.

       

To Qualify Odds

Valencia: 11-4

Arsenal: 3-10

Chelsea: 1-4

Eintracht Frankfurt: 4-1

Via Oddschecker.com.

         

Preview

Unai Emery is under pressure to overcome Arsenal's away form if they're to bypass Thursday's second leg in Spain, but the conundrum of defending a two-goal aggregate lead on foreign soil presents a challenge.

The Arsenal chief could opt to concentrate on defence—something his side haven't been great at recently—in the hopes of keeping the scoreline close. However, Los Che only recently ended a 20-match unbeaten streak at the Mestalla, and Arsenal have lost nine of their last 15 away games.

One obvious candidate to get a vital away goal for the Gunners is Alexandre Lacazette, who scored twice in the first leg and has shown a particular taste for scoring in the semis:

🔥 Lacazette has scored in the semi-finals for the 3rd season running:

2⃣0⃣1⃣9⃣ 🆚 Valencia ⚽️⚽️
2⃣0⃣1⃣8⃣ 🆚 Atlético Madrid ⚽️
2⃣0⃣1⃣7⃣ 🆚 Ajax (for Lyon) ⚽️⚽️#UEL | @Arsenal pic.twitter.com/UUPhcExTUy

— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) May 7, 2019

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang—the club's record £56 million signing—followed up with a decisive third in north London. It was a cruel, late blow to the visitors, and Valencia chief Marcelino highlighted the impact that his opponent's spending power can have, per journalist Layth Yousif:

Marcelino: I think we gave Arsenal very little. It’’s a shame we conceded from a cross. They have two very good strikers I don’t know how many millions of euros they cost but if you make even the smallest mistake at this level you get punished.

— Layth (@laythy29) May 2, 2019

Arsenal won their last away game in Europe against Napoli thanks to a Lacazette goal, but the Gunners have since conceded six goals in two games away to Wolverhampton Wanderers (3-1) and Leicester City (3-0).

Valencia, meanwhile, warmed up for Thursday's clash with a 6-2 thrashing of relegated Huesca on Sunday. Santi Mina returned to their XI and netted two goals to go along with his two assists, earning praise from The Spanish Football Podcast for a special scoring habit:

Santi Mina's goal record for Valencia this season is absolutely bizarre. He's only scored in six games in all competitions, but in every game he's netted he's scored twice! pic.twitter.com/0PcSXbjUhN

— The Spanish Football Podcast (@tsf_podcast) May 7, 2019

Chelsea's semi-final against Eintracht looks a little more predictable on paper. The Bundesliga club have been this year's fairy-tale success in Europe's second-tier competition, but there's a sense the 1-1 home draw in the first leg won't be sufficient to see them through another stage.

The Eagles have received a major boost in the return of forward Ante Rebic, although it's Luka Jovic—second-highest scorer in the contest behind Chelsea's Olivier Giroud (10 goals)—who has caught the most attention:

🦅 Luka Jović in the #UEL this season = 🔥🔥🔥

⚽️0⃣9⃣
👕1⃣3⃣

👏 @eintracht_eng pic.twitter.com/7nCVZxNamW

— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) May 7, 2019

Striker Sebastien Haller is expected to remain sidelined and is a significant absence up front for Thursday's visitors, who will have to hand Chelsea their first home loss in 10 if they're to reach the final.

The February defeat to Manchester United was the west London outfit's last loss at Stamford Bridge. Former Premier League midfielder Don Hutchison told BBC 5 Live Sport Sarri is now hitting the standards at the club after a period of disappointment:

'At the start of the season I had Chelsea finishing in the top four'@donhutch4 on #CFC season and why Maurizio Sarri does not deserve to be sacked in the summer.

📻📲 - https://t.co/UcNXBSV9OD pic.twitter.com/8DheZS7527

— BBC 5 Live Sport (@5liveSport) May 6, 2019

The Blues have been hit with the news that N'Golo Kante will miss the match with injury, although the inspired form of Ruben Loftus-Cheek of late could mean that midfield void is filled.

Eintracht toppled Benfica in the quarter-finals to reach this stage, but one would imagine Sarri's Chelsea—who have six clean sheets in their last nine home games—will be composed enough to book a final spot.