Gunners set to lead charge into Europa last 32

BERLIN: Arsenal and AC Milan are among a dozen teams who can clinch a place in the Europa League knock-out stage today.

Arsenal host Red Star Belgrade at the Emirates and will be in the last 32 with victory, or if they draw and Bate Borisov don’t win the other Group H game at bottom club Cologne.

Group D leaders Milan are also through if they win at second-placed AEK Athens.

The other two Serie A clubs, Lazio and Atalanta, can also advance, along with Dynamo Kiev, Ludogorets Razgrad, Steaua Bucharest, Red Bull Salzburg, Ostersund, Zorya Luhansk, Nice and Zenit St Petersburg.

At the other end of the spectrum, Cologne and fellow Bundesliga side Hertha Berlin face elimination on matchday four, as do struggling Everton.

Arsenal are among four sides with a maximum nine points from three games, the others being Lazio, Steaua and Zenit.

The Gunners prevailed 1-0 in Belgrade from Olivier Giroud’s late strike, and victory in London in their second meeting tonight would also boost morale ahead of Sunday’s Premier League date at leaders Manchester City.

Winless Everton’s qualifying hopes hang by a thread by comparison as they visit France’s Olympique Lyon. The Toffees are bottom of Group E and another loss, combined with group leaders Atalanta avoiding defeat at Apollon Limassol, would eliminate them.

Everton are in the midst of a seven-game winless run which saw manager Ronald Koeman sacked, and interim boss David Unsworth said after Sunday’s 2-0 loss to Leicester City that it is time to turn the tide.

“We want to get on a winning run but we can’t be where we are and expect to win every game,” he said.

“We know we have to pick ourselves up. We have to go again, we have a game on Thursday.”

Cologne and Hertha are in a similar situation, with Hoffenheim the only German team to win a match from their nine games played.

Cologne are out if they lose to Bate, and so are Hertha if they lose at home against Luhansk in Group J and Athletic Bilbao don’t lose against surprise group leaders Ostersund.

Hoffenheim got their lone win against Basaksehir and need to add three more points when they face them again in Turkey if they want to advance from Group C.

“Anything is possible but the game in Istanbul will be a defining one if we want to put pressure on Braga and Ludogorets,” said Hoffenheim midfielder Steven Zuber.

Of the Spanish trio, Villarreal visit Slavia Prague in a Group A topper with both teams on five points; Real Sociedad can take a big step towards a top-two finish in Group L against bottom side Vardar; and Athletic Bilbao face elimination in Group J if they lose to Ostersund and Luhansk win at Hertha.

Villarreal are unbeaten in all competitions since Javier Calleja took over as manager, and defender Victor Ruiz is upbeat ahead of the trip to Prague.

“We are in great form so this is a good time to pick up a win. We need to maintain our league form to the Europa League,” Ruiz said.

Things look bright in Italy, where Milan can shake off their indifferent Serie A form if they win at AEK to progress.

“Against AEK I expect not only good play but also the result,” said director general Marco Fassone.

“In the end that’s what football is about, fans want the results. I am convinced that we are going in the right direction, albeit with a little delay compared to our expectations.”

Lazio need a draw in a Group K topper against Nice to advance, and will win the group if they get full points, but will be without injured top scorer Ciro Immobile.

Surprise team Atalanta are definitely through with victory at Apollon but could even advance if they lose, as long as Everton don’t beat Lyon. – dpa