UEFA Europa League final: Chelsea vs Arsenal match preview, predicted lineups and more
Chelsea take on Arsenal in a London derby at the Baki Olimpiya Stadionu in Baku, Azerbaijan in the final of the UEFA Europa League, the UEFA's second-tier competition among held among European clubs. Manchester United were the last English club to win the competition in 2016/17 and both the teams from London will be hoping to get themselves some silverware after the end of a long, arduous season.
For Chelsea, club stalwart and Belgian magician Eden Hazard will, in all likeliness, be playing his last game for them before completing a much-awaited move to Spanish giants Real Madrid. Arsenal, too, have veteran goalkeeper (and ironically a Chelsea legend) Petr Cech playing his last game for the club.
Arsenal will be highly motivated to go all out and win the final as it will give them a direct entry into next season's UEFA Champions League. Chelsea, who will be competing in the top-tier European competition next season anyway due to finishing third in the Premier League, will be driven by the desire to end the season by pocketing a piece of silverware.
Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri, who has been under a lot of pressure recently after being linked with moves to Juventus and AC Milan, will be keen on proving the doubters wrong with a tactical masterclass. Arsenal's Spanish manager Unai Emery too will be highly motivated for the clash.
For Arsenal, there are no new injuries apart from the absences of Hector Bellerin and Aaron Ramsey. Chelsea have doubts regarding N'Golo Kante's fitness as he sustained a knee injury recently but it is very likely that the Frenchman will be ready in time for the final.
The game will be refereed by Gianluca Rocchi who will be assisted by Filippo Meli and Lorenzo Manganelli. The fourth official on the morrow will be Daniele Orsato.
Predicted lineups:
Chelsea:
Goalkeeper: Kepa Arrizabalaga
Defenders: Marcos Alonso, David Luiz, Andreas Christensen, Cesar Azpilicueta
Midfielders: N'Golo Kante, Jorginho, Mateo Kovacic
Attackers: Eden Hazard, Gonzalo Higuain, Willian
Arsenal:
Goalkeeper: Petr Cech
Defenders: Sead Kolasinac, Laurent Koscielny, Sokratis, Nacho Monreal, Ainsley Maitland Niles
Midfielders: Lucas Torreira, Granit Xhaka, Mesut Ozil
Attackers: Pierre Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazatte.