Arsenal run into Atletico in Europa semis

Arsenal will face Atletico Madrid in the semifinals of the Europa League in a mouth-watering clash of two big clubs that have taken a backseat in their domestic leagues in recent years.

Marseille will play FC Salzburg in the other semifinal.

Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal will play the first leg at the Emirates Stadium against Atletico, who are favourites to win the competition for the third time.

Wenger, whose side play Man United away in the Premier League between the two semifi- nal legs, had identified Atletico, Champions League finalists in 2014 and 2016, as the most dangerous side in the draw.

“Everybody speaks about Atletico Madrid that they look the strongest team on paper,” he said, but he also described Marseille as a difficult place to go.

The first legs will take place on April 26 with the second on May 3.

“They are a similar kind of club to us,” Atletico Madrid director Clemente Villaverde said at the draw in Nyon.

“Arsenal are a great team, they’re up there every year fighting for trophies and getting deep into their European competitions,” he said.

Arsenal reached the last four of the Europa League after surviving a scare against CSKA Moscow in Thursday’s quarterfinal second leg in the Russian capital.

Danny Welbeck and Aaron Ramsey both scored late in the game for Arsenal to calm nerves after CSKA had raced into a 2-0 lead on the night. The London side won 6-3 on aggregate.

Atletico lost 1-0 to Sporting in Lisbon on Thursday but advanced 2-1 on aggregate.

Marseille overcame a first-leg deficit to beat German side Leipzig 5-3 over two legs in their quarter-final, while Salzburg produced the shock result of the night by defeating Lazio 4-1 at home to win 6-5 on aggregate.

Salzburg have already beaten Marseille once in the competition this season, a 1-0 victory in Austria. The teams also drew 0-0 at the Velodrome. “But this time it’s the semi-final so it’ll be different,” Marseille director Andoni Zubizarreta told bein Sports.