Valencia 2-4 (3-7 on agg.) Arsenal
Unai Emery just loves the Europa League.
Mark my words SBOBET fans, he will enjoy the competition even more tonight after guiding Arsenal to their first European final for 13 years.
The man who oversaw Sevilla’s historic hat-trick of successes in the tournament from 2014-2016 is now back in the final in Azerbaijan later this month and, just like Europe’s premier competition, it will be an all-English affair.
Like Valencia, Arsenal are fifth in their domestic league,so the Europa League represents their best chance of securing Champions League football next season.
Based on this showing, Spaniard Emery has no intention of wasting this opportunity.
Highlights of the game
From the outset, the Europa League 2019 betting odds favoured the Gunners.
After Mouctar Diakhaby had given the Spanish side an early lead in London last week, two goals from Alexandre Lacazette and an injury-time third from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang gave Arsenal a healthy advantage to travel to the often intimidating Mestalla Stadium.
Both those names would produce more Europa League 2019 highlights before the night was out.
No team had ever lost the first leg of a UEFA Cup/Europa League semi-final by two or more goals and gone through since Espanyol managed it against Club Brugge in 1988.
When Kevin Gameiro,a four-time winner of the competition at Sevilla and Atletico Madrid, fired home from close range after 11 minutes, it looked like it was game on.
That lasted just six minutes until Aubameyang netted his first of a memorable personal evening with a right footed volley to claim a crucial away goal.
Lacazette extended that advantage early in the second half and, although Gameiro celebrating his 32nd birthday, showed his class to quickly level matters up on the night. Valencia knew they were unlikely to score three more.
Aubameyang duly took over, confirming Arsenal’s ascendancy by sliding in Ainsley Maitland-Niles’ cross before emphatically firing home late on to complete his hat-trick and seal a 4-2 success, 7-3 on aggregate.
For Arsenal, whose first away game of this Europa League campaign was in Azerbaijan against FK Qarabag, a return awaits for the final at the end of this month.
Key statistics
Since his Arsenal debut in August 2017, Lacazette has been directly involved in 50 goals for the club in all competitions, more than any other player (35 goals, 15 assists).That includes nine goals in his last 11 Europa League knockout stage games.
Aubameyang and Lacazette now have 48 goals between them this season, no other Arsenal player has scored more than six.
Emery has won his past 19 Europa League knockout ties, last being eliminated from the competition in the 2011-12 semi-finals – ironically with Valencia.
Arsenal have never lost a European tie in which they won the first leg by two or more goals, progressing from all 28.
Arsenal’s last appearances in a European final was in 2006, losing the Champions League showpiece against Barcelona. They have lost their past three major European finals (1995 Cup Winners Cup, 2000 UEFA Cup, 2006 Champions League).
After being unbeaten in 20 home games in all competitions, Valencia have now lost two matches in a row at the Mestalla Stadium.
Gameiro has been directly involved in 12 goals in his last 12 starts in home Europa League games, scoring 11 and assisting one.
The Gunners have won just three times in 16 fixtures against Spanish hosts.
This was the Spanish side’s record-equalling third appearance in the UEFA Europa League semi-finals. They have lost all three. The others were against Atlético in 2011/12 (2-4 away, 0-1 home) and on away goals to Sevilla in 2013/14 (0-2 away, 3-1 home).
Emery had four seasons in charge of Valencia from 2008 to 2012, overseeing 220 matches of which 107 were victories. He led Valencia to the UEFA Europa League quarter-finals in 2009/10 and the 2011/12 semi-finals.
Gameiro was a member of Emery’s side in each of Sevilla’s three successive UEFA Europa League triumphs. The French strikerscored the decisive penalty in the 2014 final shoot-out against Benfica and the equaliser against Liverpool in the 2016 final. He also won the trophy last season with Atlético Madrid.
What’s next?
Arsenal conclude their league campaign at Burnley on Sunday (May 12) before meeting Chelsea in the final in Baku two and a half weeks later.
Valencia have two important La Liga matches remaining this term – Alaves on Sunday followed by a trip to already relegated Real Valladolid before meeting holders Barcelona in the final of the Copa del Rey in Seville on May 25.
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