Unai Emery Praise for Mesut Ozil but Says Arsenal Starting Place Not Assured
Feb 22, 2019
LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 21: Mesut Ozil of Arsenal looks on during the UEFA Europa League Round of 32 Second Leg match between Arsenal and BATE Borisov at England on February 21, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Harriet Lander/Copa/Getty Images)
Arsenal manager Unai Emery said Mesut Ozil "showed what he wants" on Thursday in the UEFA Europa League clash with BATE Borisov.
The German was handed a rare start in the contest, with the Gunners needing to overturn a shock first-leg 1-0 loss. In the end, they were comfortable in a 3-0 win, ensuring their safe passage into the last 16 of the competition.
Ozil displayed moments of trademark class, offering a reminder of what he is capable of to his manager. Afterwards, Emery said we're likely to see a lot more of the playmaker in the coming weeks, per Mark Manns-Bryans of the Press Association (h/t the MailOnline):
"Today he showed what he wants. If he is available, like the last two weeks, we are going to play a lot of matches and maybe sometimes we need him in the starting XI and sometimes on the bench because we have a lot of players to also help us.
"His spirit like today is good and his quality and capacity and combination with some players is good, I think we need every player and today playing Mesut was important and positive."
Per Sam Dean of the Daily Telegraph, Arsenal midfielder Alex Iwobi said after the game he was pleased to see Ozil back in the starting lineup:
This is pretty strong from Iwobi on Ozil:
“We know what Mesut is like because we see him in training every day. He’s world class. We scored three goals as a result of him playing. I know if I make a run he has the vision to find me. Hopefully he can keep on playing.” #AFC
Having started just one game since Boxing Day, there have been questions asked regarding Ozil's long-term future at the club. Despite being the highest-paid player at the Emirates Stadium after signing his new contract in January 2018, he appears to have fallen well down the pecking order.
For all he offers in terms of vision and technical ability, Ozil lacks tactical discipline and isn't renowned for putting in hard yards off the ball.
Even so, against opponents like BATE, who sit deep with little attacking intent, the 30-year-old is a brilliant option to have in the starting XI, as he's adept at picking locks. These figures from OptaJoe show how productive Ozil has been in the final third in the Europa League:
1 - Since the start of 2017-18, Mesut Ozil has been involved in more goals (7) and created more goalscoring chances (33) than any other Arsenal player in the UEFA Europa League. Recalled. #ARSBAT#UELpic.twitter.com/cHn2BeJ5XK
While Emery may have doubts about Ozil, it appears unlikely he will be going anywhere for a while yet given his salary. With that in mind, it would make sense for the manager to use him when the situation demands it between now and the end of the 2018-19 campaign.
Ozil has shown frequently down the years that he can be an asset to Arsenal, and if the team are to challenge for both the Europa League and a top-four spot, he will have a role to play.
After a positive showing on Thursday, it will be intriguing to see whether he's involved on Sunday, when Southampton head to the Emirates in the Premier League.
Europa League 2019: Scores, Qualified Teams After Thursday's Round of 32 Results
Feb 21, 2019
NAPLES, ITALY - FEBRUARY 21: Adam Ounas, Dries Mertens, Kalidou Koulibaly of SSC Napoli celebrate the victory after the UEFA Europa League Round of 32 Second Leg match between SSC Napoli v FC Zurich at Stadio San Paolo on February 21, 2019 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)
Arsenal, Napoli, Valencia and Zenit Saint Petersburg were among the teams to qualify for the next round of the UEFA Europa League during Thursday's early action, while Chelsea and Inter Milan joined them later in the day.
The round of 32 threw up few surprises initially, with all of the home teams playing on Thursday qualifying. Here's a look at the full results:
Arsenal bounced back from their defeat in Belarus to beat BATE 3-0, while Napoli cruised past Zurich. Villarreal held off Sporting and Red Bull Salzburg crushed Club Brugge.
Chelsea, Inter Milan and Benfica will be in action during the late slate of fixtures.
An early own-goal from Zakhar Volkov gave Arsenal the perfect start in their win over BATE, who put together another brave showing in the return leg but fell to the sheer quality of the Gunners.
Shkodran Mustafi and Sokratis Papastathopoulos got the other goals, while BATE had their chances to pull one back but failed to capitalise.
Arsenal's defence made the difference, as it finally managed to hold on for a clean sheet:
Arsenal have their first clean sheet in six games across all competitions.
Despite a few shaky outings the Gunners will remain among the tournament favourites, but they'll have their hands full if they meet Napoli at some point down the line. The Italians cruised to another win over Zurich, advancing with an aggregate score of 5-1:
Toljan was sent off for two bookable offences, and Kevin Gameiro scored the only goal of the contest for a 3-0 aggregate score.
Salzburg demolished an overmatched Club Brugge side, who were on the back foot from the opening whistle. Ethan Horvath saved a penalty but made several crucial mistakes in the loss, although he can hardly be blamed for the defensive issues that plagued the Belgians.
Frankfurt's impressive run of form continued with a win over Shakhtar Donetsk, and Pablo Fornals bagged a late winner for Villarreal.
In the late fixtures, Olivier Giroud, Ross Barkley and Callum Hudson-Odoi were all on point for the Blues, who bagged an easy win over Malmo after winning the first leg as well. RasmusBengtsson was sent off for the visitors.
Inter crushed Rapid Wien, with Andrea Ranocchia standing out, and Slavia Prague shocked Racing Genk in Belgium, winning 4-1.
Bayer Leverkusen and Krasnodar were locked in a scoreless stalemate and appeared to be headed for extra time before Magomed Suleymanov put the visitors up 1-0 on 84 minutes. Although Bayer's Charles Aranguiz equalised three minutes later, the Russians advanced on the away goal.
Arsenal Complete BATE Comeback to Advance in UEFA Europa League
Feb 21, 2019
Arsenal beat BATE Borisov 3-0 on Thursday to advance to the UEFA Europa League's round of 16, overturning their one-goal deficit from the first leg. The aggregate score was 3-1.
Zakhar Volkov gave the hosts an early advantage with an unfortunate own-goal, and Shkodran Mustafi converted a corner to double the lead just before half-time. BATE had several chances to get on the board themselves, but the Gunners were the better team in the opening half.
That pattern continued after the break and Sokratis Papastathopoulos made it 3-0 on the hour mark.
The Gunners avoided major embarrassment against the minnows from Belarus, who caused a shock by winning the first leg.
Vital Ozil Key to Arsenal's Europa League, Top Four Hopes
Rival fans will argue Arsenal's positive outing and Mesut Ozil's contributions shouldn't be given too much credit given the opposition, but anyone who watched Thursday's match will have noticed the effect the former Real Madrid man has on this team.
Making his first start since late January, the 30-year-old pulled the strings in midfield from the opening minute. Sportswriter Dylan Walsh thought he was the best man on the pitch in the opening stages:
His level of play dropped a bit after the fast start, with several passes not finding the mark. Rust may have had an impact, but Ozil's runs were just a little off, leading to a bad offside call and some ruined chances.
Those issues were offset by the fact the Gunners' attack looked far more fluid than it has in some time. Ozil remains a world-class conductor, even when he's not racking up assists.
Goal thought the idea the team is better without him is absurd:
Arsenal's routine win over BATE showed how important he is to the team, and with an eye on both the Premier League's top-four race and the rest of the Europa League, his time on the sidelines has to end.
He's capable of being among the sport's most decisive men when on form, and in order to build that form, he needs to play consistently.
What's Next?
Arsenal host Southampton in the English Premier League on Sunday. The Belarusian Premier League is in between seasons and won't kick off again until March.
Arsenal vs. BATE: Odds, Preview, Live Stream and TV Info for Europa Match
Feb 20, 2019
BARYSAW, BELARUS - FEBRUARY 14: Henrikh Mkhitaryan of Arsenal reacts as BATE Borisov players celebrate a goal in background during the UEFA Europa League Round of 32 First Leg match between BATE Borisov and Arsenal at Borisov-Arena on February 14, 2019 in Borisov, Belarus. (Photo by MB Media/Getty Images)
Arsenal will need to overturn a 1-0 deficit when they take on BATE Borisov at the Emirates Stadium in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday.
The Gunners slipped to a surprise defeat in the first leg of their tie in the round of 32 on Valentine's Day, courtesy of Stanislav Dragun's header on the stroke of half-time.
Due to their exit from the FA Cup earlier in the year, Arsenal had no fixture to contend with over the weekend, so they'll have had a full week to prepare as they bid to come back and progress.
The first leg was a night to forget for the Gunners, as James Olley of the Evening Standard observed:
FT 1-0 BATE One of Emery's worst nights at Arsenal. Controlled possession for long periods but did little with it. They'll fancy their chances of coming back in next week's second leg but the mere fact they have to do so is embarrassing for all concerned.
What perhaps made the defeat even more humiliating for the north London outfit is that BATE's 2018 season came to an end on December 2, and their 2019 campaign will not begin until March 29, so they're still in pre-season domestically.
Arsenal put 10 goals past the Belorussian side in two matches during the Europa League group stage last season, but last time out they struggled to even trouble their goalkeeper, despite having plenty of attempts:
They'll need to be much more clinical this time around, though their efforts in that regard won't be helped by the absence of Alexandre Lacazette.
The Frenchman was sent off in the first leg for swinging an elbow at Aleksandar Filipovic, so he'll be suspended for the clash.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is his likely replacement. The Gabon striker has found the net 18 times this season, including twice in the Europa League, and they'll need him to produce the goods once again.
Mesut Ozil, Aaron Ramsey and Sokratis Papastathopoulos might also be involved, as they're expected back from illness and injury, respectively, according to Football.London's Charles Watts.
Arsenal need to score twice to avoid extra time, and they'll require three if Aliaksei Baga's side grab an away goal, so they could use the ability of the German or the Welshman to make incisive contributions in the final third.
The Gunners are more than capable of doing what's needed, particularly given they're at home, but it could be a long night if they don't manage to get on the scoresheet early.
Chelsea vs. Malmo: Odds, Preview, Live Stream, TV Info for Europa Match
Feb 20, 2019
MALMO, SWEDEN - FEBRUARY 14: Olivier Giroud of Chelsea celebrates after scoring a goal to make it 0-2 during the UEFA Europa League Round of 32 First Leg match between Malmo FF and Chelsea at Malmoe Stadion on February 14, 2019 in Malmo, . (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)
Chelsea host Malmo at Stamford Bridge in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday hoping to progress to the round of 16.
The Blues won the away leg 2-1 on Thursday thanks to goals from Ross Barkley and Olivier Giroud, though Anders Christiansen gave the Swedish side some hope when he finished off an 80th-minute counter-attack.
Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri is under immense pressure following Monday's 2-0 FA Cup defeat at home to Manchester United, so a convincing win is much-needed for the Italian. However, he'll likely have an eye on Sunday's Carabao Cup final clash with Manchester City.
Following their FA Cup exit on Monday, the Europa League could be Chelsea's only chance of silverware this season if they are unsuccessful in Sunday's cup final, in which they will be huge underdogs.
The Blues' form has been disappointing for much of 2019, with their loss to United their fifth defeat in all competitions. Also among those were a 2-0 loss at the hands of bitter rivals Arsenal, a 4-0 thrashing by Bournemouth and a 6-0 humiliation by Carabao Cup final opponents City.
Each of those three came in the Premier League, and with Chelsea facing a tough battle to finish in the top four, the Europa League is another path to qualifying for next year's UEFA Champions League.
With the Blues leading the tie and facing a much bigger game just three days later, supporters will be hoping to see a start for Callum Hudson-Odoi on Thursday.
Goal's Nizaar Kinsella summarised the youngster's situation at Stamford Bridge when he was left out of the starting lineup for the first leg:
Sarri on Hudson-Odoi on 7 January: "Now he is ready. Of course, some times he will be on the bench but the same as Willian and Pedro. I can start to consider him on the same level.” 14 Feb, not in the team vs Malmo, not started for two-and-a-half weeks. #CFC
He eventually came off the bench against Malmo, but his cameo lasted just six minutes.
Malmo are still in their offseason—the Allsvenskan finished in December and does not restart for another five weeks—so facing a skilful, pacey player like Hudson-Odoi could be a struggle if Sarri finally puts his faith in the winger.
One player who fans can expect to see is Giroud, who doubled the Blues' tally in the first leg with a smart finish:
The Europa League could prove to be Giroud's biggest source of minutes for the remainder of the season following loanee Gonzalo Higuain's arrival at the club in January. However, if the former continues to contribute in those matches, he'll improve his chances of playing more domestically.
Malmo will need to score at least twice to progress because of the Blues' away goals, and that seems unlikely even amid the English side's recent struggles.
Chelsea could do with putting on a convincing display before the cup final, though, even if it's likely to be a largely different lineup in that game.
Europa League 2019: Odds, Live Stream, TV Schedule and Predictions
Feb 20, 2019
BARYSAW, BELARUS - FEBRUARY 14: Henrikh Mkhitaryan of Arsenal reacts as BATE Borisov players celebrate a goal in background during the UEFA Europa League Round of 32 First Leg match between BATE Borisov and Arsenal at Borisov-Arena on February 14, 2019 in Borisov, Belarus. (Photo by MB Media/Getty Images)
After an absorbing set of first-leg matches in the UEFA Europa League, 32 teams will become 16 this week.
The biggest shock of the opening set of games arguably came in Belarus, where BATE Borisov beat Arsenal. The Gunners will now be tasked with turning things around in front of their own supporters at the Emirates Stadium on Thursday.
Other standout matches include Sevilla's showdown with Lazio, with the former earning an impressive 1-0 win in Rome in the first leg. Inter Milan and Chelsea are also well-placed to progress after picking up victories at Rapid Vienna and Malmo, respectively.
Europa League Fixtures: Last 32, 2nd Leg (1st-Leg Score)
Wednesday, February 20
5 p.m. Sevilla vs. Lazio (1-0)***
Thursday, February 21
5:55 p.m. Red Bull Salzburg vs. Club Brugge (1-2)
5:55 p.m. Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Shakhtar Donetsk (2-2)
5:55 p.m. Villarreal vs. Sporting CP (1-0)
5:55 p.m. Dinamo Zagreb vs. Viktoria Plzen (1-2)
5:55 p.m. Zenit Saint Petersburg vs. Fenerbahce (0-1)
5:55 p.m. Valencia vs. Celtic (2-0)***
5:55 p.m. Napoli vs. FC Zurich (3-1)
5:55 p.m. Arsenal vs. BATE Borisov (0-1)**
8 p.m. Genk vs. Slavia Prague (0-0)
8 p.m. Inter Milan vs. Rapid Vienna (1-0)**
8 p.m. Bayer Leverkusen vs. Krasnodar (0-0)
8 p.m. Benfica vs. Galatasaray (2-1)***
8 p.m. Real Betis vs. Rennes (3-3)
8 p.m. Chelsea vs. Malmo (2-1)*
8 p.m. Dynamo Kiev vs. Olympiakos (2-2)
*BT Sport 2, **BT Sport 3, ***BT Sport ESPN. Other matches are available to watch via BT Sport Extra
Viewers in the United Kingdom can tune in via live stream on the BT Sport app.
B/R Live will provide Europa League live-stream coverage, while fuboTV and Univision Deportes will also stream matches in the United States.
Match Odds
Sevilla (10-13), Draw (35-12), Lazio (4-1)
Red Bull Salzburg (6-11), Draw (39-11), Club Brugge (11-2)
Following on from an impressive performance away from home in the first leg of this high-profile tie, Sevilla will be out to finish the job on Wednesday at home against Lazio.
Although the La Liga team are one of the strongest left in the competition, they've traditionally struggled away from home. Manager Pablo Machin would have been delighted with the manner of the performance in their 1-0 success in the first leg, as Wissam Ben Yedder's goal made the difference on the night.
After that vital strike against Lazio, Squawka Football summed up how prolific the Sevilla forward has been:
Wissam Ben Yedder has scored 20+ goals across all competitions in back-to-back seasons for the first time in his career:
Things haven't been going particularly well for Sevilla of late, though. On Sunday, they were beaten 3-0 by Villarreal in La Liga, and there's no doubt the team have lost some momentum overall following a strong start to the season.
Lazio have also been inconsistent in 2018-19, as they've struggled to replicate the free-flowing attacking football that served them so well last season.
They need to find that spark again to stand any chance on Wednesday, but overcoming Sevilla at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan is too much of an ask.
Prediction: Sevilla 3-1 Lazio
Arsenal vs. BATE
Arsenal manager Unai Emery suffered the most disappointing result of his tenure a week ago, when he watched his team toil in defeat against BATE.
The Gunners were well below their best and never appeared totally at ease with the three-man defence they deployed. While they remain favourites to progress, the lack of an away goal and a potentially nervy Emirates Stadium may be a worry for the Arsenal boss.
There has been some heavy criticism for Emery following the defeat. James McNicholas of Gunnerblog thinks the manager has been hindered by a lack of acquisitions:
James Benge of Football.London believes the team are performing to pre-season expectations:
Amid all the teeth-gnashing and wailing about a poor, poor performance against BATE one question that needs answering about Emery. Are Arsenal roughly where you thought they'd be this season in the competitions that matter the most (PL & EL)?
With ground to make up, the Gunners won't have too many star players on the bench for the second leg. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who was a substitute for the first fixture, is a surefire starter following Alexandre Lacazette's red card in Belarus, while Lucas Torreira and Denis Suarez may also come in.
While Emery would have preferred to have had the tie wrapped up with a Premier League showdown with Southampton to come on Sunday, the Europa League is his only remaining chance of silverware in his debut campaign. Arsenal will do just enough to keep those hopes alive.
Prediction: Arsenal 2-0 BATE Borisov
Maurizio Sarri Praises Chelsea Response at Malmo Following Man City Hammering
Feb 15, 2019
MALMO, SWEDEN - FEBRUARY 14: Maurizio Sarri head coach / manager of Chelsea during the UEFA Europa League Round of 32 First Leg match between Malmo FF and Chelsea at Malmoe Stadion on February 14, 2019 in Malmo, . (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)
Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri praised his players for bouncing back from their hammering at the hands of Manchester City in the UEFA Europa League against Malmo on Thursday.
The Blues picked up a 2-1 win in Sweden in the first leg of their last-32 tie, with Ross Barkley and Olivier Giroud on the scoresheet. The match was their first outing since their 6-0 loss to City in the Premier League, a result that heaped major pressure on Sarri and his players.
While a late lapse in concentration allowed Malmo to halve the deficit on the night and give themselves a slim chance of progressing to the next round, Sarri was pleased with the manner of the performance overall, per Peter Rutzler of the MailOnline:
"We were in control of the match. I think we deserved to win with more goals, but I am happy because we played with confidence, and it wasn't very easy after the last match.
"We conceded a goal on a mistake, it can happen, but the level of attention was really very good. I am very happy but we know very well that we have to gain the qualification in the next match. I am always confident, but sometimes we had the wrong approach with matches, so we need to be careful in every match."
Nizaar Kinsella of Goal noted that while the performance wasn't free-flowing, it was the kind of display needed after Sunday's horror show:
FT: Malmo 1-2 Chelsea
It won't strike fear into Europe or the Premier League but it buys Sarri time. His story at Chelsea lives on, avoiding a big banana skin. He and this club's players were under intense scrutiny and stood up.Sarriball not in full flow though #CFC#MALCHE#UEL
Malmo leave having had more shots than Chelsea. 15 to 11. 69.9% possession from Sarri's team. Thought Christensen did well, considering he was targeted. Probably my MOTM. Barkley and Kovacic decent enough too #CFC#UEL#MALCHE
It was vital for the Blues that they were able to dig out a win in this fixture, as they have their most important section of the season coming up.
On Monday, they will face Manchester United in the fifth round of the FA Cup before Malmo head to Stamford Bridge on Thursday for the second leg of this tie. Sarri and his players will then face their demons again three days on, as they meet City in the Carabao Cup final.
With that in mind, it wasn't a surprise to see key men like Eden Hazard and N'Golo Kante on the bench for this game, although the manager did call on both players in the second period.
Journalist Dan Levene said he thinks the Blues need to improve if they are going to make progress in other competitions:
That's it from Malmö Stadion. Tonight Chelsea did just about enough. But it shows how far expectations have sunk that a slim victory over a pretty poor side is seen as that. Greater reserves will need to be found, if United are to be beaten on Monday.
Following on from a 6-0 loss, the character of the Chelsea players was going to come in for as much scrutiny as their quality in Thursday's game, especially with their two most important players on the bench. Sarri will be pleased with how the likes of Barkley and Mateo Kovacic stood up in a hostile environment as a result.
It's not a win that will relieve the pressure on the manager, and Chelsea supporters will be looking for improvement in the final months of 2018-19. According to Matt Law of the Daily Telegraph, Sarri's future hinges on this vital spell of matches before February concludes.
Eden Hazard Plays Down Tangle with Pitch Invader: 'He Just Asked for My Shirt'
Feb 15, 2019
Chelsea forward Eden Hazard has said he wasn't unsettled by the Malmo supporter who encroached onto the field at the end of the UEFA Europa League showdown between the two teams.
At full-time in the Blues' 2-1 win, at least four home supporters invaded the pitch, and one made a beeline for Hazard, gripping him tightly by the jersey. Per the Press Association (h/t the MailOnline), the Chelsea man has dismissed suggestions he was uncomfortable when the fan wouldn't let go of him.
"It's not an incident," he said. "He just asked for my shirt."
As the images show, the Belgium international didn't appear comfortable as the Malmo supporter wrapped his arms around him:
According to the report, UEFA will launch an investigation into how the supporters made it on to the field. They will also look at how the fans brought flares into the stadium and incidents that saw bottles thrown between the home and away sections of the seating.
Per ESPN UK, the Malmo supporters were clearly excited for this showdown against the London club:
Hazard was brought on as a late substitute in the game in Sweden, as Chelsea took a big step towards the last-16 stage of the competition with an away win.
Ross Barkley and Olivier Giroud scored to put the Premier League side in total control of the tie. While the Blues switched off to allow Anders Christiansen to halve the deficit, they are still in a strong position to get through the tie at Stamford Bridge in a week's time.
Hazard was unsurprisingly given a rest for this game with a busy schedule to come for the Blues. With that in mind and the team 2-0 up when he was drafted into the contest, broadcaster Amadi Tidiane was surprised to see Chelsea's star man get on the field ahead of Callum Hudson-Odoi:
no reason why Hudson-Odoi shouldn't have been on instead. baffling from Sarri.
Coming up for the Blues is an FA Cup showdown with Manchester United on Monday, with Chelsea back at Stamford Bridge for the first time since their 6-0 mauling away at Manchester City.
Hazard should be well-rested for that encounter after sitting out the majority of the match in Malmo. Then it will be up to manager Maurizio Sarri to make a decision on how to use his star man, with the second leg of the Europa League tie to follow next Thursday and Carabao Cup final against City three days later.
Olivier Giroud, Chelsea Beat Malmo in 2019 Europa League 1st Leg
Feb 14, 2019
MALMO, SWEDEN - FEBRUARY 14: Ross Barkley of Chelsea and Rasmus Bengtsson of Malmo FFduring the UEFA Europa League Round of 32 First Leg match between Malmo FF and Chelsea at Malmoe Stadion on February 14, 2019 in Malmo, . (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)
Chelsea earned a 2-1victory at Malmo on Thursday, with the Premier League side claiming the advantage in the first leg of the round of 32 in the UEFA Europa League.
The hosts delivered a strong performance, but it was Ross Barkley who slotted the ball home to make it 1-0 in the first half.
Olivier Giroud claimed Chelsea's second shortly before the hour mark, but Malmo got the goal they deserved through Anders Christiansen in the closing stages.
Barkley Must Start Ahead of N'Golo Kante if Chelsea Want to Play "Sarri-ball"
Maurizio Sarri watched on as his side skipped to a 2-1 win in Sweden, offering the Blues some relief after their woes in England.
The Chelsea boss has struggled toimplement his philosophythat was honed at Empoli and Napoli, and his latest team have crumbled in an alarming number of encounters.
Many of the problems revolve around midfield, with Sarri placing Kante in a progressive role rather than his preferred defensive berth.
Chelsea's English midfielder Ross Barkley (R) celebrates scoring the 0-1 goal with Chelsea's French striker Olivier Giroud during the UEFA Europa League round of 32, first-leg football match between Malmo FF and Chelsea in Malmo, Sweden, on February 14,
Chelsea's chemistry has been ruined as a result, but the Italian has refused to step away from his principles.
Barkley started against Malmo with Kante on the bench, and the Blues were clearly a more aggressive unit.
The former Everton star was mobile and influential, and he broke the deadlock after 30 mins, disappointing the watching home fans.
Indy Football highlighted the player's performance:
Barkley gave Sarri the attacking talent he needs from midfield. Kante's skills do not allow him to be a goal threat at all times.
Jorginho remains one of the coach's chosen few, proving his worth in Serie A during his spell with Sarri in Naples.
He occupies the role many would like to see Kante hold, but Sarri has said he will not be changing his tactics soon.
The Stamford Bridge club must now give Barkley additional minutes in the weeks ahead, sacrificing Kante's starting role.
The France international remains one of the best midfielders in the world, but his passing range could see him overlooked by Sarri as the club tries to find a balance.
What's Next
Chelsea are in FA Cup action Monday, with Manchester United visiting Stamford Bridge in a crunch tie. Malmo host Degerfors in the Swedish Cup on Sunday.
UEFA Europa League Explained: How the Tournament Works
Feb 13, 2019
Since its inception, the UEFA Europa League has solidified itself as an entertaining and competitive alternative for European teams unable to qualify for the UEFA Champions League. Here's everything you need to know about the club soccer tournament, which has been played annually since 1971.
What is the UEFA Europa League?
The UEFA Europa League is a tournament involving 48 European club teams who compete across six rounds for the right to be crowned winners and to earn an automatic spot in the following season's UEFA Champions League.
When Did The UEFA Europa League start?
The first UEFA Europa League tournament was held during the 1971-72 season, and it has been staged every year since.
How Has The Tournament Changed Since 1971?
The competition was referred to as the UEFA Cup until 2009. It was traditionally a pure knockout tournament featuring 64 teams, with two-legged knockout ties staged home and away until those 64 teams were eventually whittled down to just two. The final was also played over two legs until 1997–98, when the showdown became a one-off match.
The tournament adopted an initial group stage in the 2004-05 season, with teams being drawn into eight groups of five. Unlike the Champions League, the UEFA Cup group stage was played in a single round-robin format, with each team playing two home and two away games rather than home and away double-headers.
The top three teams in each of the eight groups qualified for the main knockout round along with the eight third-placed teams in the UEFA Champions League group stage. From then on, a series of two-legged knockout ties were played before a one-off final, traditionally held on a Wednesday in May a week before the Champions League final.
For the 2009–10 season, the competition was rebranded as the UEFA Europa League in an attempt to increase its profile. An extra eight teams entered at the group stage (to make 48 teams in total), which meant 12 groups of four playing in a double round-robin format, with the group winners and runners-up advancing to the round of 32 along with the eight third-place teams from the UEFA Champions League group stage.
Qualifiers would then continue the usual knockout stage process through the round of 32, round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals and final.
How Are The Teams Selected?
Qualification has changed significantly since 2009. All participants of the Europa League qualify either through their respective final standing in the domestic leagues or their performance in domestic cup competitions.
Generally, the higher an association is ranked in the UEFA coefficients, the later its teams start in the qualification process (there are four qualifying rounds in total). The complex coefficient system isgenerated by the results of teams representing each association during the previous five UEFA Champions League andUEFA Europa Leagueseasons
Apart from the teams that qualify directly for the Europa League, each side eliminated from Champions League qualifying is given a second chance of European competition by being added to Europa League qualification. The six losing teams in the Champions League play-off round are automatically transferred to the Europa League group stage.
Here's the full breakdown of the 48 qualified teams:
• 17 teams that qualify directly to the group stage due to their association and club coefficients
• 21 teams from the UEL qualifying process
• 6 losers of the UEFA Champions League's fourth qualifying round
• 4 non-domestic cup-winning losers of the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round
What Happens Once The 48 Teams Qualify?
The qualifying teams are split into four different 'pots', with each pot being ranked from No. 1 to No. 4. The highest-rated club coefficients go into Pot 1, the next highest rated in Pot 2 and so on. Teams are then drawn from each pot until there are 12 groups of four. Teams from the same association cannot be drawn against each other.
How Does The Group Stage Work?
Teams that are drawn together compete in a double round-robin format called the group stage, with the group winners and runners-up advancing to the Round of 32, the first round of the knockout phase. The eight third-place teams from the UEFA Champions League group stage join the 24 UEL group stage qualifiers in the Round of 32.
The teams are ranked by points won during the group stage. Three points are awarded for a win, one point is awarded for a tie and no points for a loss. According to UEFA, if tied on points the following tiebreaking criteria are applied:
1. higher number of points obtained in the group matches played among the teams in question.
2. superior goal difference from the group matches played among the teams in question.
3. higher number of goals scored in the group matches played among the teams in question.
4. higher number of goals scored away from home in the group matches played among the teams in question.
If after having applied criteria 1. through 4., teams still have an equal ranking, criteria 1. through 4. are reapplied exclusively to the matches between the remaining teams to determine their final rankings. If this procedure does not lead to a decision, criteria 5. through 12. apply in the order given to the two or more teams still equal.
5. superior goal difference in all group matches.
6. higher number of goals scored in all group matches.
7. higher number of away goals scored in all group matches.
8. higher number of wins in all group matches.
9. higher number of away wins in all group matches.
10. lower disciplinary points total based only on yellow and red cards received in all group matches (red card = 3 points, yellow card = 1 point, expulsion for two yellow cards in one match = 3 points).
11. higher club coefficient.
How Does The Knockout Phase Work?
Draw
A draw takes place for the Round of 32, the first round of the knockout phase. The 32 remaining teams are split into two pots of 16, with one containing the eight third-place teams from the UEFA Champions League group stage and the eight best UEFA Europa League group winners, and the other holding the four worst Europa League group winners and the Europa League group runners-up.
A club is drawn from each pot to determine what the pairings will be, with the conditions that a winner and runner-up who played in the same group in the previous round can't be drawn together, and that clubs from the same domestic league are also kept apart.
The Round of 16, quarterfinal and semifinal draws do not have clubs split into separate pots. This means that the remaining clubs can be drawn together regardless of where they finished in their group, or whether they played in the same group or are from the same domestic league.As the draws for the quarterfinals and semifinals are held together before the quarterfinals are played, the identity of the quarterfinal winners is not known at the time of the semifinal draw.
Knockout Phase Legs andTiebreakers
Teams are paired together for each round of the knockout phase, apart from the final, playing two matches at each team's home stadium. Each match is known as a 'leg', with the group winners hosting the second leg in the Round of 32. The team that scores more goals over the two legs advances to the next round.
If the aggregate score is level after both legs, the away goals rule is applied. This means that the club that scores more goals away from home over the two legs qualifies for the next round. If away goals are also equal, then extra time (an additional 30 minutes) is played.
The away goals rule is again used as a tiebreaker after extra time. If there are goals scored during extra time and the aggregate score is still level, the visiting team advances by virtue of more away goals scored.
If no goals are scored during extra time, the winners are decided by a penalty shootout. The team that scores more penalties from five attempts each wins. If the two teams are still tied after five attempts, they continue to alternate until one team scores their penalty and the other does not.
In the final (which is played as a single match in a neutral venue), if the score is level at the end of normal time, extra time is played. If the score is still level, it’s followed by a penalty shootout.
UEFA Europa League Schedule
June-August: Qualification
Late August: Group Stage Draw
September-December: Group Stage Matchdays
Mid-December: Round of 32 Draw
February: Round of 32
Late February: Round of 16 Draw
March: Round of 16
Mid-March: Quarterfinal and Semifinal Draws
April: Quarterfinals
May: Semifinals
Late May: Final
How do I watch the UEFA Europa League?
Every match is available to stream on B/R Live. You can buy a monthly or yearly subscription, or purchase individual matches for $2.99.Sign up for B/R Live here.
Watching from the U.K.? Every match is available on BT Sport, the BT Sport App andBT Sport.com.
UEFA Europa League Titles By Club
1. Sevilla: 5 (2006, 2007, 2014, 2015, 2016)
Tottenham won the first UEFA Europa League in 1972.
