UEFA Europa League

Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri issued a warning about putting too much pressure on Callum Hudson-Odoi this early in his career after the 18-year-old netted Chelsea's third goal in their 3-0 win over Dynamo Kiev at Stamford Bridge on Thursday.

The teenager came off the bench with 12 minutes to go and scored in the last minute to add a deserved sheen to Chelsea's win in their UEFA Europa League last-16 first leg:

https://twitter.com/brlive/status/1103792442472574977

Pedro and Willian scored Chelsea's first two goals, but the Blues missed a number of chances, especially in the first half, against the Ukrainian side.

Hudson-Odoi has now netted three goals in 324 minutes of Europa League action this season, and his lack of game time in the Premier League, where he has played just 74 minutes this season, has long irked Chelsea fans, especially given Bayern Munich submitted a £35 million offer for him in January.

Sarri preached patience after Thursday's comfortable win. He said he is confident in Hudson-Odoi's ability but does not believe he should shoulder any burden this early in his career, per Liam Twomey of ESPN FC:

"He does not have to do anything to convince me. He has convinced me he is a very great player. I have my opinion. He cannot be at the top yet. He needs to improve because he can arrive at the top only at 22 or 23, like every other player.

"So I now think we need to improve without the pressure of the media, without the pressure of the fans, without the pressure of the club. But he is in my mind for every match. In England, I think he's the only to be born in 2000 to have played 16 times.

"I think it's very dangerous, at 18, to have this pressure. You have to improve, tactically, mentally and physically, at that age. So it's dangerous for you. I don't like to speak about him for this reason."

Hudson-Odoi has been given a decent amount of minutes in cup competitions this season.

As well as Europa League appearances, he played 180 minutes across the third and fourth rounds of the FA Cup, setting up both goals against Nottingham Forest and scoring against Sheffield Wednesday.

However, when the fifth round came around and Chelsea were up against Manchester United, Sarri left the Englishman on the bench.

Even when the Blues were 2-0 down against the Red Devils late in the match and looking for some attacking inspiration, the Italian did not call on Hudson-Odoi:

Sarri too stubborn, Plan A found out, no Plan B, inexplicable/meek substitutions, shocking refusal to use Hudson-Odoi at 2-0 down, players' negative body language signals lack of belief in coach, defence chaotic, #cfc fans' mutinous, owner not known for patience. On borrowed time

— Henry Winter (@henrywinter) February 18, 2019

Since Chelsea's tame exit from the FA Cup to United, Sarri has eased the pressure on himself and his team with four wins from five in all competitions.

The Blues are firmly in the race for the Premier League's top four, not least as they have a game in hand on their rivals:

What it all means...#PL pic.twitter.com/vvgPqmzUeI

— Premier League (@premierleague) March 3, 2019

They are also favourites to win the Europa League, another potential route back into next season's UEFA Champions League.

After Thursday's accomplished performance, they already have one foot in the last eight, and Hudson-Odoi will hope to earn some more minutes in the second leg in Kiev.

Arsenal collapsed at Rennes in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday, losing their first-leg match 3-1 in the last 16.

The Gunners took the lead, but the Ligue 1 side fought back to earn a significant advantage as the visitors were reduced to 10 men in the first half.

Chelsea made short work of Dynamo Kiev at Stamford Bridge, completing a 3-0 first-leg victory.

Napoli were also comfortable 3-0 winners against Red Bull Salzburg, and Valencia edged past an impressive Krasnodar 2-1.

Slavia Prague collected a 2-2 draw on the road, stunning La Liga outfit Sevilla.

However, there was better news for the Spanish contingent as Villarreal won 3-1 at Zenit St. Petersburg.

Eintracht Frankfurt and Inter Milan played out a goalless draw during their first leg in Germany.

                                    

Thursday Results

Eintracht Frankfurt 0-0 Inter Milan 

Dinamo Zagreb 1-0 Benfica 

Sevilla 2-2 Slavia Prague 

Rennes 3-1 Arsenal 

Zenit St. Petersburg 1-3 Villarreal 

Chelsea 3-0 Dynamo Kiev 

Napoli 3-0 Red Bull Salzburg 

Valencia 2-1 Krasnodar

                 

Odds To Win Europa League

Napoli 4-1

Chelsea 4-1

Arsenal 9-1

Valencia 10-1

Inter 10-1

Sevilla 13-1

(Odds provided by Oddschecker)

                                                                    

Thursday Recap

It started well for the Gunners during their trip to Rennes, but the night turned sour as they were reduced to 10 men.

Alex Iwobi's cross beat goalkeeper Tomas Koubek and the visitors were in control after only three minutes.

However, the first half ended badly for the Premier League giants. Sokratis Papastathopoulos received his marching orders for a second yellow four minutes before the interval, and the hosts immediately capitalised with an equaliser from Benjamin Bourigeaud.

The Gunners could not move through the gears after losing a man, and Nacho Monreal scored an own goal to provide Rennes the lead after 65 minutes.

Arsenal manager Unai Emery made changes, substituting the disappointing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, but Rennes punished their opponents with a third from Ismaila Sarr with two minutes to spare.

B/R Football highlighted a poor night for the English club:

🎵 Hello darkness my old friend 🎵 pic.twitter.com/D4bfUmYiOx

— B/R Football (@brfootball) March 7, 2019

Chelsea did not have to hit top gear as they entertained Kiev at the Bridge.

The visitors rarely threatened, allowing the Blues to claim an early lead through Pedro.

Chelsea had to wait until shortly after the hour mark to make it 2-0. Willian's excellent free-kick convincingly found the corner of the net.

Callum Hudson-Odoi came off the bench to wrap up the win in the 90th minute.

Napoli are joint-favourites to win the competition, and the Italians stormed to a 3-0 victory.

Goals from Arkadiusz Milik and Fabian made it 2-0 within the 17 minutes, and Jerome Onguene's own goal settled the affair in the second half.

A quick-fire brace from Rodrigo gave Valencia control against Krasnodar at the Mestalla Stadium, but Viktor Claesson's second-half goal gave the visitors a deserved reward after dominating long spells of the game.

A frantic first half saw four goals hit the back of the net as Sevilla drew 2-2 with Prague.

Wissam Ben Yedder's excellent form continued when he broke the deadlock in the opening minute, but Miroslav Stoch stunned Sevilla fans with an equaliser after 25 minutes.

Sevilla only had to wait three minutes before reclaiming the lead when Munir El Haddadi volleyed home to make it 2-1. However, Alex Kral's effort six minutes before half-time gave the visitors a vital share of the spoils.

Villarreal put one foot in the next round after a resounding 3-1 away win at Zenit. Vicente Iborra glanced home to give the La Liga side the lead after 33 minutes, but Sardar Azmoun tapped home to make it 1-1 moments later.

The second half belonged to the Yellow Submarine, scoring twice to take control of the tie. Goals from Gerard Moreno and Manu Morlanes made it a successful night for the travelling party.

Benfica failed to make an impression in Zagreb, losing 1-0 thanks to Bruno Petkovic's first-half penalty.

Unai Emery has said that Arsenal's packed schedule, and Rennes' recent weekend off, cannot be used as an excuse by the Gunners in their UEFA Europa League last-16 first leg on Thursday.

Rennes have had a busy season as they have also gone deep in the Coupe de France. But they were given more than a week to prepare for Thursday's clash by the French Football Federation, who postponed their Saturday fixture with Nimes.

Arsenal, meanwhile, have beaten Bournemouth 5-1 and drawn 1-1 with Tottenham Hotspur in the last eight days, and they host Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

Emery said, though, that his side cannot use the schedule as an excuse if they put in a bad performance at Roazhon Park, per Reuters (h/t ESPN FC): 

"It's not an excuse for us. We have the habit to play a lot of matches week-by-week. We rested on Sunday. We're starting to work Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Tomorrow we will be OK to play, every player.

"The Premier League decided the schedule for our matches. I respect them. We adapted, our adaptation is preparing [for] the matches with the days we can have."

Arsenal played away in the first leg of their last-32 tie against BATE Borisov and lost 1-0.

They were able to turn the tie around at the Emirates, but another loss on the road to Rennes would not be a good result for Arsenal.

The least the Gunners will be looking for is likely a score draw since away goals can be crucial in the knockout rounds of the Europa League.

Emery will take heart from the fact Arsenal went to Wembley Stadium in their last match and were unfortunate to leave without all three points:

74' Kane scores penalty
90' Lloris saves penalty
95' Torreira sent off

Spurs’ first draw of the season is a wild one 🔥 pic.twitter.com/loCsVftYJv

— B/R Football (@brfootball) March 2, 2019

Spurs are a better side than Rennes, who sit 10th in Ligue 1, and if Arsenal can produce a similar performance to the one at Wembley on Saturday, they should get a positive result in Brittany. 

Arsenal are rightly one of the favourites to go all the way this season in the Europa League.

With the Premier League top-four battle incredibly tight, it could become their best route to UEFA Champions League football next season.

Emery is a Europa League expert having won the tournament three times in succession with Sevilla, and he will clearly accept nothing other than a strong performance on Thursday.   

The UEFA Europa League resumes on Thursday with the round of 16. This stage of the competition features two legs, one at each team's home stadium, with the winner on aggregate advancing into the quarterfinals.

The first legs will all be played on Thursday, March 7, and every second leg match will be played on Thursday, March 14.

Below, you'll find information on how to watch and live-stream every first leg game, the full Europa League round-of-16 schedule and a preview for each matchup.

   

UEFA Europa League Round of 16: How to watch, live-stream info

All Europa League matches stream live in the United States on B/R Live. You can watch the Europa League in the UK on BT Sport.

B/R Live pricing for the Europa League is $2.99 per match. You can also purchase a $9.99 Monthly Soccer Pass, which will give you access to watch every first- and second-leg match in the Europa League round of 16 as well as all other soccer matches and highlight shows on B/R Live.

To learn more and subscribe to B/R Live, click here. To watch the Europa League on B/R Live, click here.

        

UEFA Europa League Round of 16: Schedule

There will be eight matches each this Thursday for Leg 1 and next Thursday for Leg 2. Here are the kickoff times (all times Eastern) and links to watch each first-leg match.

Leg 1, March 7

12:55 p.m.

Watch: Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Inter Milan

Watch: Dinamo Zagreb vs. Benfica

Watch: Sevilla vs. Slavia Prague

Watch: Rennes vs. Arsenal

Watch: Zenit vs. Villarreal

3 p.m.

Watch: Chelsea vs. Dynamo Kiev

Watch: Napoli vs. RB Salzburg

Watch: Valencia vs. Krasnodar

      

Leg 2, March 14

1:55 p.m.

Dynamo Kiev vs. Chelsea

RB Salzburg vs. Napoli

Krasnodar vs. Valencia

4 p.m.

Inter Milan vs. Eintracht Frankfurt

Benfica vs. Dinamo Zagreb

Slavia Prague vs. Sevilla

Villarreal vs. Zenit

Arsenal vs. Rennes

   

UEFA Europa League Round of 16: Match Previews

The Europa League last 16 features some European heavyweights as well as some upstart squads looking to continue runs to the title.

Here's a look at how every team got to this stage of the competition:

https://twitter.com/brlive/status/1101165633566269440

Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Inter Milan

This may be the top tie of the round of 16. Frankfurt has been dominant in the Europa League this season and dispatched Shakhtar Donetsk in the round of 32 6-3 on aggregate.

Inter barely missed out on qualifying for the UEFA Champions League knockout stage, but the Italian side handled the shift to Europa League play well, moving past Rapid Wien 5-0 over two legs.

The winner of this matchup has a serious chance to lift the trophy.

    

Dinamo Zagreb vs. Benfica

After winning 3-0 at home to seal its advancement to this round, Dinamo Zagreb will need to make the most of the first leg at home against Benfica in order to have a solid cushion going back to Portugal.

In the only round-of-32 matchup that featured teams that came from Champions League play, Benfica cooly handled Galatasaray with a 2-1 away win and scoreless draw at home.

Expect the Portuguese side to take the same approach against Zagreb.

    

Sevilla vs. Slavia Prague

Sevilla, the only team remaining to get in through the qualifying rounds, is the all-time class of the Europa League. The Spanish side has won a record five times: 2006, 2007, 2014, 2015 and 2016.

Slavia Prague will encounter a big challenge, but an away goal or two in the first leg will certainly make things interesting.

Sevilla should have plenty of firepower and control to go through but cannot get caught looking ahead.

https://twitter.com/brlive/status/1098295058992955392

Rennes vs. Arsenal

After a small scare against BATE in the last round, Arsenal found form at home to advance to play Rennes.

The French club was one half of the most-entertaining matchup of the last round, defeating Real Betis 6-4 on aggregate, including a 3-1 away win.

The Gunners have rotated their squad for much of Europa League play but will probably begin to incorporate more of their top players as they progress further in the competition.

     

Zenit vs. Villarreal

Zenit scored what could be considered an upset of Turkish club Fenerbahce in the last round, using a huge 3-1 second leg win at home to advance.

Villarreal also had a tough draw against Sporting CP but found a way through, thanks to some stingy defense and timely goals. This tie could be sneaky good over the course of two legs.

     

Chelsea vs. Dynamo Kiev

The other top English club in the Europa League, Chelsea has been in strong form for nearly the entirety of its European campaign.

Olivier Giroud has six Europa League goals, and many of the Blues' young players are thriving in extended minutes.

Dynamo Kiev enters this stage after a well-earned aggregate win over Olympiakos but will need a lot more to upset one of the favorites to win the title.

    

Napoli vs. RB Salzburg

Like Inter, Napoli was agonizingly close to reaching the knockout round of the Champions League, moving to Europa League despite just one loss in the group stage.

The side was able to regroup and win its round-of-32 tie over Zurich 5-1 in dominant fashion. Salzburg also scored five times in its dispatching of Club Brugge, indicating we could be in for a goal-fest over these next two legs.

     

Valencia vs. Krasnodar

The third Spanish club in the last 16, Valencia didn't give up a goal in two legs against a Celtic squad that is running away with the Scottish Premiership chase.

Krasnodar squeaked by Bayern Leverkusen on away goals to set up this meeting, one in which Valencia will expect to win to reach the quarterfinals.

Chelsea welcome Dynamo Kiev to Stamford Bridge for the first leg of their UEFA Europa League last-16 tie on Thursday.

The Blues had no problem advancing past Malmo in the previous round, making it seven wins from their eight games in the competition this season. Given a trip to Kiev in the second leg may be challenging, manager Maurizio Sarri will be keen to get this one wrapped up on home soil.

Dynamo faced a potentially tricky opponent in Olympiakos in the previous round but were able to make it into the last 16 after a 1-0 win at home. Still, manager Alyaksandr Khatskevich will be well aware that his team are big underdogs heading into this encounter.

        

Odds

Chelsea (6/11)

Draw (9/2)

Dynamo Kiev (10/1)

Odds are courtesy of OddsChecker

       

Date: Thursday, March 7

Time: 8 p.m. (GMT), 3 p.m. (ET)

TV Info: BT Sport (UK)

Live Stream: BT Sport website (UK), BR Live (U.S.)

         

Preview

The domestic competitions have been a grind for Chelsea at times this season. With that in mind, the Europa League has represented something of a relief for supporters.

While the Blues fanbase would no doubt prefer to be involved in the UEFA Champions League, Sarri has used these matches to give some of the team's younger players an opportunity to shine.

You suspect that will be the case on Thursday once again, especially given the way in which the team performed against Malmo in the previous round.

In the 3-0 win at the Bridge it was Callum Hudson-Odoi who starred, as he provided a constant threat to the opposition defence before netting himself:

Callum Hudson-Odoi's game by numbers vs. Malmo:

100% aerials won
89% passing accuracy
76 touches
9 take-ons won
3 chances created
2 through-balls
1 foul won
1 shot
1 goal

Proved his point. 👏 pic.twitter.com/ulsZ2vr75C

— Squawka (@Squawka) February 21, 2019

Additionally, the Blues also started with Andreas Christensen at centre-back in that encounter, while Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Ethan Ampadu were introduced into the action from the bench.

Should we see these types of players in the XI on Thursday, there will be a buzz among the Chelsea fanbase. After all, the team appear to have steadied themselves again recently following a testing run of results early in the year.

On Sunday, they made it back-to-back wins, following up the 2-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur with a 2-1 triumph at local rivals Fulham.

Matt Law of the Daily Telegraph noted some under-fire figures have taken a step in the right direction:

Chelsea win 2-1. Now only two points off the top four with a game in hand. Another step towards redemption for Sarri and Jorginho?

— Matt Law (@Matt_Law_DT) March 3, 2019

For the visitors this will be a big challenge, and the aim of Khatskevich will likely be keeping the tie alive for the second leg. After all, the Olympiyskiy Stadium holds up to 70,000 supporters and can be an intimidating venue for opposition players.

In terms of players to watch out for, young midfielder Viktor Tsygankov is enjoying a breakthrough season and has produced some of his best performances for the club in the Europa League:

Viktor Tsygankov (21) has scored or assisted against six of the seven teams he has faced in the Europa League:

⚽️🅰️🅰️ vs KF Skënderbeu
⚽️🅰️ vs FC Astana
⚽️🅰️ vs SS Lazio
🅰️🅰️ vs Stade Rennais
⚽️ vs AEK Athens
⚽️ vs FK Jablonec
⭕️ vs Partizan Belgrade

Today: Olympiacos Piraeus. pic.twitter.com/c4F6JszuZj

— SCOUTED (@scoutedftbl) February 14, 2019

Away from home they have been solid in this competition so far, with no losses in any of their four games.

Even so, playing against Chelsea represents a major step up in quality for the Ukrainian side. Getting on the scoresheet would be a big bonus for them, although it's hard not to envisage a scenario in which the Blues are in control of the tie come the final whistle.

      

Prediction: Chelsea 2-0 Dynamo Kiev

After an absorbing north London derby in the Premier League on Saturday, Arsenal's focus will shift to European commitments on Thursday, when they travel to Rennes in the last 16 of the UEFA Europa League.

In the previous round, the Gunners had to come from behind to progress against BATE Borisov. Since losing the first leg of that tie, manager Unai Emery has watched his team go on a fine run, and they were unlucky not to take all three points in the 1-1 draw with Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend.

Rennes represent a favourable draw for Arsenal, as they sit in 10th in Ligue 1. However, they produced a brilliant display to eliminate Real Betis in the previous round and can't be taken lightly.

        

Odds

Rennes (3-1)

Draw (5-2)

Arsenal (15-4)

Odds are courtesy of Oddschecker

        

Date: Thursday, March 7

Time: 5:55 p.m. (GMT), 12:55 p.m. (ET)

TV Info: BT Sport (UK)

Live Stream: BT Sport website (UK), BR Live (U.S.)

        

Preview

Having missed a stoppage-time penalty that would have seen them beat their biggest rivals away from home, it was no surprise that Arsenal supporters were disappointed after the 1-1 draw at Wembley Stadium on Saturday.

Still, it's important there is some recognition for a fine performance from the Gunners and an appreciation of the run they have been on since their loss to BATE in the Europa League.

As of late, the team have showcased defensive solidity, tenacity in midfield and a spark up front. Emery has also given the Gunners tactical flexibility, which will be important if they are to progress in this tournament.

Gunnerblog's James McNicholas praised the big decisions Emery made in what was an important game:

https://twitter.com/gunnerblog/status/1101852010008231936

The senior players who weren't involved on Saturday are likely to get their chance in France, as the manager seeks to keep his players fresh in pursuit of domestic and European aims.

Still, with just 16 teams remaining in the competition, Arsenal fans may start to see this competition as a priority. After all, not only has Emery won this prize on three occasions previously, a piece of silverware and UEFA Champions League qualification for next season would be a major boost.

Getting through this clash will not be easy, though. Per Get French Football News, there's huge anticipation ahead of this game for Rennes:

After 90,000 requests for the final 8,000 available tickets for Rennes’ clash with Arsenal at the Roazhon Park next week, Rennes fans will receive a place on a 1st come, 1st serve basis on Saturday morning. Some fans are planning to camp from now until then, per Ouest France.

— Get French Football News (@GFFN) February 28, 2019

Rennes fans queuing outside the Roazhon Park last night for tickets for Thursday’s clash with Arsenal - ticket office opened at 10am local time this morning. pic.twitter.com/BVOHZXv8vl

— Get French Football News (@GFFN) March 2, 2019

Although they've been inconsistent domestically, the Ligue 1 outfit have hit impressive heights in Europe this season.

In Rennes' last outing in the competition, they produced arguably the performance of the round, as they won 3-1 at Betis after a 3-3 draw in the first leg on home soil.

Hatem Ben Arfa will be a familiar face to Arsenal supporters and is a player capable of changing a game with his ability. They also have one of Ligue 1's most exciting rising stars on their books in Ismaila Sarr:

Ismaila Sarr has scored more goals in league and European competition for Stade Rennais this season (8) than any other player.

Capable of a stunner. 🚀 pic.twitter.com/MnEKFctZql

— Squawka (@Squawka) February 22, 2019

Rennes are blessed with a number of enigmatic attackers the Gunners will need to be wary of. If they can stop the service to the likes of Ben Arfa and Sarr, they are players who can quickly get frustrated.

There has been a burgeoning cohesion and confidence about Arsenal in recent weeks, with the team seemingly sparked into life by that BATE loss. After seeing off an early flurry from the hosts here, they will find a way to victory.

           

Prediction: Rennes 1-2 Arsenal

The UEFA Europa League continues on Thursday with the round of 16, as the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea, Napoli and Inter Milan fight for places in the quarter-finals.

Arsenal travel to Rennes in one of the early kick-offs, which will also see Inter take on Eintracht Frankfurt in Germany and Sevilla host Slavia Prague.

Among the later kick-offs, Chelsea welcome Dynamo Kiev to Stamford Bridge and Napoli face Red Bull Salzburg at the Stadio San Paolo.

                           

Thursday Schedule, Predictions

Eintracht Frankfurt 1-2 Inter Milan, 5:55 p.m. GMT/12:55 p.m. ET, BT Sport ESPN (UK)

Dinamo Zagreb 0-3 Benfica, 5:55 p.m. GMT/12:55 p.m. ET, BT Sport Extra (UK)

Sevilla 2-0 Slavia Prague, 5:55 p.m. GMT/12:55 p.m. ET, BT Sport Extra (UK)

Rennes 1-2 Arsenal, 5:55 p.m. GMT/12:55 p.m. ET, BT Sport 3 (UK)

Zenit St. Petersburg 1-1 Villarreal, 5:55 p.m. GMT/12:55 p.m. ET, BT Sport Extra (UK)

Chelsea 2-0 Dynamo Kiev, 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET, BT Sport 2 (UK)

Napoli 3-0 Red Bull Salzburg, 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET, BT Sport ESPN (UK)

Valencia 2-1 Krasnodar, 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET, BT Sport 3 (UK)

                           

B/R Live provides UEFA Europa League live-stream coverage, while Univision Deportes will also stream in the United States. Viewers in the United Kingdom can tune in via the BT Sport app.

             

Match Odds

Eintracht Frankfurt (7-5), Draw (27-11), Inter Milan (11-5)

Dinamo Zagreb (9-4), Draw (26-11), Benfica (7-5)

Sevilla (3-7), Draw (4-1), Slavia Prague (8-1)

Rennes (58-19), Draw (5-2), Arsenal (21-20)

Zenit St. Petersburg (1-1), Draw (13-5), Villarreal (10-3)

Chelsea (6-17), Draw (9-2), Dynamo Kiev (10-1)

Napoli (8-15), Draw (37-10), Red Bull Salzburg (6-1)

Valencia (10-21), Draw (19-5), Krasnodar (69-10)

Via Oddschecker

                

Rennes vs. Arsenal

Arsenal made it through the round of 32 with a 3-1 aggregate scoreline over BATE Borisov, but they made life hard for themselves with a 1-0 defeat at BATE in the opening leg, and they'll be eager to avoid doing the same here.

The Gunners have played well since overcoming BATE, scoring seven goals against Southampton and Bournemouth, while they perhaps deserved all three points from their 1-1 draw with Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.

Football writer Jeremy Smith believes they'll be wise not to take Rennes lightly, though:

This Rennes team is not as good as that Monaco team, but they're in good form and morale at the moment. Could surprise Arsenal if they're too complacent.

— Jeremy Smith (@jeremysmith98) March 4, 2019

The Ligue 1 side will be fresh and raring to go on Thursday after not playing over the weekend, per Goal's Robin Bairner:

Rennes' Ligue 1 meeting with Nimes this weekend has been postponed "to allow them to prepare in the best possible conditions for their double-header with #Arsenal in the Europa League".

— Robin Bairner (@RBairner) February 26, 2019

The Gunners will be missing Alexandre Lacazette for both legs after he was sent off for an elbow in the first leg against BATE. They'll have to turn to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang instead, and the Gabon striker will be eager to make amends after his penalty miss cost his side against Spurs.

Arsenal should be capable of beating a side sat 10th in the French top flight, but it may not be easy.

                                      

Chelsea vs. Dynamo Kiev

As with Arsenal, the Europa League is Chelsea's only remaining shot at silverware this season, and it's also a useful back-up route to UEFA Champions League qualification should they miss out on a top-four finish in the Premier League.

They face a potentially tricky last-16 tie against Dynamo Kiev, who have resumed domestic duties after their winter break.

The Ukrainian side should be back in the flow with two more matches under their belts on top of their two-legged triumph over Olympiakos in the last round.

Chelsea will likely turn to Olivier Giroud once again, as he has been a key figure in their Europa League campaign:

Olivier Giroud has now scored six goals in his last five Europa League appearances:

⚽️
⚽️⚽️
⚽️
⚽️
⚽️

He can't stop scoring in Europe. 🥇 pic.twitter.com/YbTqPKk1YE

— Squawka (@Squawka) February 21, 2019

Along with Giroud, Ross Barkley also scored in both legs of their last-32 tie with Malmo, while Callum Hudson-Odoi impressed with a start in the second leg:

Callum Hudson-Odoi went out there with a point to prove and did just that 😏 pic.twitter.com/jbK9wxiTC5

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 21, 2019

His only appearance since was off the bench in the Carabao Cup final, but the Europa League is the perfect competition to continue giving him opportunities, given manager Maurizio Sarri has been reluctant to do so in the Premier League.

If he's handed a start on Thursday, Chelsea will hope he, Giroud and Barkley can help them secure a positive result to take with them to Ukraine.

Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette has been banned by UEFA for both legs of the Gunners' Europa League last-16 tie against Rennes:

Alexandre Lacazette has 12 goals and eight assists for Arsenal this season in all competitions 🚫 pic.twitter.com/c4cED95443

— B/R Football (@brfootball) February 22, 2019

The French forward was sent off in the first leg of his side's 1-0 defeat to BATE Borisov in the round of 32 for an elbow on Aleksandar Filipovic.

Lacazette missed the return leg at the Emirates Stadium on Thursday, which Arsenal won 3-0 to progress, and will now sit out a further two matches as punishment.

The 27-year-old took to Twitter after his red card to apologise for letting his team down:

Letting the team down like that is the worst feeling..
I should have stayed calm but it’s not always easy.. Sorry 😣
There are still 90 minutes to play and I believe that my teammates will make it to the next round.. #COYG #Laca

— Alexandre Lacazette (@LacazetteAlex) February 14, 2019

His suspension will be a blow to Arsenal as they bid to make it to the quarter-finals of the competition. His 12 goals make him their second-top scorer behind Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who has 18 in all competitions.

Rennes qualified for the knockout stages in second place in Group K with three wins and three defeats. They saw off Spanish side Real Betis 6-4 on aggregate in the last round, and the game should make for an intriguing contest:

Rennes vs Arsenal should be really good! Unai Emery's last home match at PSG.... a 2-0 defeat by Rennes (still PSG's last home defeat). The whole mood at the French club has really changed since Julien Stephan took over in December. V good young coach, some talented players too

— Matt Spiro (@mattspiro) February 22, 2019

Arsenal travel to France for the first leg in Rennes on March 7, with the return scheduled for the Emirates Stadium a week later.

Lacazette's suspension reduces manager Unai Emery's striking options for the match. The Spaniard is already without Danny Welbeck because of injury, leaving Aubameyang as his only available senior striker.

Emery could turn to youngster Eddie Nketiah once again. The 19-year-old has made two appearances in the competition this season but is yet to find the back of the net.

The Europa League represents an opportunity to secure UEFA Champions League qualification for next season, with the Gunners battling it out with Chelsea and Manchester United for a place in the top four. They sit in fifth and level on points with Chelsea, while United are one point ahead in fourth. 

Chelsea, Napoli and Arsenal are the favourites to win the UEFA Europa League following Friday's draw for the last 16 of the competition. 

The Blues beat Malmo on Thursday and will face Ukraine's Dynamo Kiev next. They are 7-2 favourites to clinch the trophy, according to Oddschecker.

Arsenal and Napoli are both 9-2 to lift the trophy this season. The Gunners have been drawn to face French side Rennes, while Napoli will take on RB Salzburg.

Chelsea overcame a slow start in their second leg against Malmo to secure a 3-0 win on the night and a 5-1 victory on aggregate.

The Blues have had few problems in the competition so far and are yet to taste defeat. They topped Group L with five wins out of six games and have been in superb form at home in the Europa League:

Chelsea's last seven matches at home in the Europa League:

WWWWWWW

The longest ever winning home run by an English side in the competition. pic.twitter.com/bSctBxb5ZH

— Squawka (@Squawka) February 21, 2019

Chelsea will now face Dynamo Kiev and are yet to lose to the Ukrainian side in two previous meetings:

2 - Chelsea are unbeaten in their previous two games against Dynamo Kiev, winning one and drawing one in the 2015-16 Champions League group stage. Untroubled. pic.twitter.com/A7TPs56wVn

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 22, 2019

Thursday's win over Malmo eased some of the pressure on manager Maurizio Sarri after damaging defeats to Manchester United in the FA Cup fifth round and Manchester City in the Premier League.

The Blues have dropped out of the top four in the Premier League after a run of poor form, and they may need to win the Europa League in order to play in the UEFA Champions League next season.

The same could be said of Arsenal, who are fifth in the Premier League and battling Manchester United and Chelsea for a top-four spot.

The Gunners overcame a 1-0 first-leg defeat to beat BATE Borisov 3-0 (3-1 on aggregate) on Thursday to book their place in the last 16 of the tournament.

Arsenal are also unbeaten in the Europa League and topped a group containing Sporting CP, Vorskla Poltava and Qarabag.

They now face a Rennes team who knocked out Real Betis in the last round.

French football writer Matt Spiro explained what to expect:

Rennes vs Arsenal should be really good! Unai Emery's last home match at PSG.... a 2-0 defeat by Rennes (still PSG's last home defeat). The whole mood at the French club has really changed since Julien Stephan took over in December. V good young coach, some talented players too

— Matt Spiro (@mattspiro) February 22, 2019

Arsenal manager Unai Emery knows exactly what it takes to win the Europa League. He lifted the trophy three times as manager of Sevilla and will hope to cap his first season in England with a trophy.

Napoli will also provide a real threat after dropping into the competition from the Champions League. Carlo Ancelotti's side finished third in a tough group containing Liverpool, Paris Saint-Germain and Red Star Belgrade.

The Serie A side beat FC Zurich to set up a last 16 meeting with RB Salzburg, who reached the semi-finals of the competition last season and won all six of their group games. 

Arsenal will face Stade Rennais in the last 16 of the UEFA Europa League, it was confirmed in Friday's draw.

The Gunners, who overcame BATE Borisov in the previous round to progress, may have avoided some of the big names, but they will need to be wary of the Ligue 1 outfit. Rennes produced a brilliant display on Thursday to upset Real Betis 3-1 away from home and advance 6-4 on aggregate. 

Meanwhile, Chelsea will take on Dynamo Kiev, with the first leg to be played at Stamford Bridge. and Frankfurt will face Inter Milan.

The ties will be played on March 7 and March 14. These are the eight encounters to look forward to, with the team at home in the first leg listed first.  

Bring it on 🔥 pic.twitter.com/9PotNfaruj

— B/R Football (@brfootball) February 22, 2019

      

Preview

Arsenal avoided a potentially nervy evening at the Emirates Stadium on Thursday by breezing past BATE Borisov 3-0.

Having lost the first leg 1-0, the team would have been vulnerable had they conceded. However, Unai Emery should be pleased with the professional manner in which the team eventually advanced.

With the likes of Inter, Sevilla, Napoli and Chelsea also in the last 16, the Gunners have avoided some of the top teams. However, Rennais showed how dangerous they can be with their win over a strong Betis outfit.

In Ismaila Sarr, they also possess one of Ligue 1's most exciting and effective young wingers:

Ismaila Sarr has scored more goals in league and European competition for Stade Rennais this season (8) than any other player.

Capable of a stunner. 🚀 pic.twitter.com/MnEKFctZql

— Squawka (@Squawka) February 22, 2019

Chelsea also avoided the big guns, although a trip to Kiev is far from ideal at a point in the campaign when legs and minds are weary.

Despite the mounting pressure on manager Maurizio Sarri after poor domestic results, the team have performed well in the Europa League. The Blues made light work of Malmo in the last-32, eventually getting through the tie 5-1 on aggregate.

The competition has provided relief for Chelsea fans, and the inclusion of some young players in the XI has been refreshing, with Callum Hudson-Odoi making an impression:

Callum Hudson-Odoi has completed the most dribbles in the UEFA Europa League this season, with 25.

He's only played 312 minutes. pic.twitter.com/YO0nXMvB1T

— SCOUTED (@scoutedftbl) February 21, 2019

The tie of the round will potentially be between Frankfurt and Inter, with the former an up-and-coming side testing themselves against an established European name.

Inter were too strong for Rapid Vienna in the previous round, backing up a 1-0 away win with a 4-0 success at the San Siro. Given they appear secure in the top four in Serie A, manager Luciano Spalletti is expected to make a run at this competition.

Frankfurt have serious firepower at their disposal, though, with a 4-1 win over Shakhtar Donetsk last time out one of their most impressive displays of the season.

Per German football journalist Archie Rhind-Tutt, their front three is lethal:

These three have 44 goals between them in all comps this season. They’re quite good.

Would like to see them & Frankfurt against Arsenal/Chelsea. Be a great test. An Eintracht invasion of London would be quite something to see too. https://t.co/mwLk3osyWk

— Archie Rhind-Tutt (@archiert1) February 21, 2019

Sevilla, who have won this tournament five times since 2006, will be favourites up against Sparta Prague, whereas Napoli will have their work cut out against last year's semi-finalists Salzburg.

Given Villarreal are in a relegation battle domestically—they sit in 18th in La Liga—a difficult tie and a long trip to Zenit may be too much to deal with.