Blues, Gunners target Europa success
THE EUROPA League group stage reaches a crucial juncture today as 10 teams look to progress with two matches to spare and another 11 battle to keep their hopes alive.
Premier League sides Chelsea and Arsenal, two of six teams with perfect records, are among those hoping to advance, as are the Bundesliga’s Eintracht Frankfurt, Bayer Leverkusen and RB Leipzig.
Lazio, Zurich, Salzburg, Dinamo Zagreb and Real Betis could also progress to the last 32 if results go their way.
Chelsea are well clear at the top of Group L and will seal first place with a win at Belarusian side BATE Borisov if the game between Hungary’s Vidi and Greece’s PAOK ends in a draw.
Blues manager Maurizio Sarri is reportedly considering resting Eden Hazard, who returned last weekend after missing three games with a back injury.
Arsenal go into their home game with Sporting Lisbon buoyed by their recent run of form, which saw them win 11 straight games and then hold Liverpool to a 1-1 draw last time out.
A win would put the Gunners through and manager Unai Emery, who is likely to make a number of changes, has been delighted with the crowd’s involvement as his team have flourished.
“I want to help the players from the bench, I want to give them my confidence and my energy, but the most important push and energy is from the supporters,” he said.
Groups A and H could see both qualifiers confirmed as Zurich and Leverkusen (A) and Frankfurt and Lazio (H) seek early progress.
Group H leaders Frankfurt are in Cyprus at Apollon seeking a fourth straight win, which will be enough to advance if last season’s losing finalists Olympique Marseille do not win at Lazio. The French side will be out with a defeat.
Group A sees Leverkusen, on six points, up against perfect leaders Zurich.
Salzburg are in the driving seat with maximum points in Group B and a win at Rosenborg will be enough if Leipzig get a draw at Celtic, with the Bundesliga team also hoping to make sure of their place in the knockout stage.
Betis top Group F with seven points and can seal qualification if they beat AC Milan at home and Olympiakos fail to beat Luxembourg’s Dudelange.
In Group G, Villarreal go into their encounter with Rapid Vienna with jeers still ringing in their ears from Sunday’s draw with Levante in the league.
Scottish side Rangers, who lead the group with Villarreal on five points, are at Spartak Moscow.
Group J sees three teams on six points with two of them, Krasnodar and Standard Liege, up against each other, while Sevilla travel to Turkey’s Akhisarspor.
Also among the day’s 24 matches, Group C leaders Zenit St Petersburg are at struggling Bordeaux. | dpa