Deja vu for Džeko as Roma visit United in Europa clash

ROME: Edin Džeko has been linked with so many different destinations and involved in so much controversy this season that it’s been hard to keep track.

But Džeko never let the Italian capital, and now he’s going back to his former home city in England to lead the Giallorossi against Manchester United in the first leg of the Europa League semifinals on Thursday.

“There have been a lot of highs and lows this season. We need to look forward. We’re in the semifinals, which a lot of people didn’t expect. We’ve got to enjoy ourselves, because it’s not every week that you get to play at Old Trafford.”

Džeko, though, knows what it means to visit United as an opponent. He did it for five seasons with Manchester City before joining Roma in 2015 - and scored six goals in the Manchester derby.

“Since I let Manchester City six years ago, I’ve never been back,” Džeko told UEFA.COM. “It will be a special game for me, since it was a derby for me until a few years ago.”

ARSENAL WARY OF EMERY: Arsenal are relying on Europa League success to save a sorry season, but face former manager Unai Emery with a point to prove in Thursday’s semi-final first leg against Villarreal.

Arsenal havenot finished in top four in last five years. That decline started prior to Emery’s 18-month spell in charge between May 2018 and November 2019. The Spaniard missed out on the top four by a point and got to the Europa League final in his only full season in charge, but was dismissed just four months into his second.

“It ended in unwanted circumstances,” Emery told uefa.com ahead of the tie.

“I want to win for myself and for Villarreal. (Two years ago) I was defending Arsenal’s red colours in that final against Chelsea, now I feel that affinity for the yellow of Villarreal. I have that competitive instinct, that responsibility I owe the club and everyone I represent with my decisions.”