UEL Semi-Final 1st Leg: Villarreal v Arsenal | Thursday, April 29 | KO: 20:00 BST | BT Sport

[A_G]

Good evening.

• Emery replaced long-serving Arsenal boss Wenger in May 2018 and remained in charge for 18 months before being dismissed and ultimately replaced by his fellow Basque native Arteta.

• Emery has overseen 90 matches in the UEFA Europa League proper – 30 more than any other coach. He led Sevilla to all three of their trophy successes from 2013/14 to 2015/16 before losing that 2018/19 final with Arsenal.

• San Sebastián-born Arteta started out with Barcelona's youth team but the only Spanish Liga side he played for was hometown club Real Sociedad, in 2004/05.

• Villarreal midfielder Francis Coquelin was on Arsenal's books from 2008 to 2018, making 160 appearances for the club in all competitions and winning two FA Cups.

• Juan Foyth is currently on loan to Villarreal from Arsenal's north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur, while Étienne Capoue is another former Spur who joined the Spanish club in January after five and a half seasons with Watford.

• Alberto Moreno was a Premier League player with Liverpool (2014–19), while his Villarreal team-mate Ramiro Funes Mori played with Merseyside rivals Everton (2015–18). Dani Parejo spent 2008/09 on loan at Queens Park Rangers in the English Championship.

• There are three Spaniards in Arsenal's squad – Héctor Bellerín, Pablo Marí and Dani Ceballos. The latter is on an extended loan to the club from Spanish champions Real Madrid, as is Norwegian international Martin Ødegaard.

• Ceballos and Villarreal's Alfonso Pedraza were members of Spain's 2019 UEFA Under-21 European Championship-winning squad.

• Thomas Partey joined Arsenal in October 2020 from Atlético, for whom he made 188 appearances in all competitions, scoring 16 goals, and was a UEFA Europa League winner in 2017/18. He also played in Spain for Mallorca and Almería.

• Villarreal have played more matches in the UEFA Europa League, group stage to final, than any other club. This is their 86th encounter – 12 more than second-placed Salzburg.

• The 25 goals scored by Villarreal this season have lifted their all-time total in the competition to a record 149, 20 more than Liga rivals Sevilla, with 99 conceded. They also hold the record for most UEFA Europa League wins (48), six more than Sevilla.

• This is Arsenal's 50th match in the UEFA Europa League, group stage to final. Their record is W32 D8 L9. They are the highest-scoring English club in the competition with 108 goals – five more than Tottenham.

Team News
Arsenal: Tierney, David Luiz, Aubameyang & Lacazette out
Villarreal: Iborra & Estupinan out

Xhaka cannot play LB against Chukwueze and I would go for Gabriel over Mari because he'll better suited to cope with Paco and Moreno's movement.

 

[MartiSaka]

Villarael to play the "protaganist" in this match

 

[AberGooner]

Think Villarreal beat us in Spain. Not totally writing us out of the tie for the 2nd leg but I really don't feel confident at the moment.

 

[lamby22]

Arsenal have never lost to Villarreal. Okay they've only played them four times. Another record for Mikel to break

 

[MartiSaka]

Very difficult to predict how this will go. Need a good away result ensuring we score some goals; since we are trash at home. Not confident at all if Laca and Auba are both unavailable, since we won't finish our chances.

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

can't predict anything but we desperatly need one of Auba or Laca fit here. we need to score Villareal have few talented players upfront but not sure their midfield is that good.

 

[field442]

I’m going to boot my cat up the arse if I see Nketiah start this game.

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

arteta said before Everton game that Luiz Auba Laca recovering much quicker than expected it'll be huge having at least 2 of them available Luiz already back to first team training.

 

[Weliveinacrazyworld]

We need to score AT LEAST 2 goals at Villarreal on Thursday if we want to even think about making it to the final. I just know we’re going to make several individual errors during the 2nd leg at the Emirates which will cost us.

Praying that Lacazette, Saka, ESR and Pepe are fit & ready. They should all be in the starting 11 for this match. Would also consider Ryan in goal instead of Leno tbh.

 

[Hunta]

Biggest game in Teta’s stint as manager here?

I think yes.

 

[A_G]

Arsenal have never lost to Villarreal. Okay they've only played them four times. Another record for Mikel to break

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

Biggest game in Teta’s stint as manager here?

I think yes.

Biggest game in decade imo losing this and we could be without Europe for few seasons unless miracle happen and Kroenke did invest heavily

 

[Rimaal]

This will be

Stuff.

 

[GLITCH]

Think Villarreal beat us in Spain. Not totally writing us out of the tie for the 2nd leg but I really don't feel confident at the moment.

Tie would be over then, because we've been shockingly awful at home.

 

[Garrincha]

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

Man, how did Emery go from being a clown coaching us to being an IT clown scaring us like we are small children now.

 

[Riou]

I’m going to boot my cat up the arse if I see Nketiah start this game.

Look what Arteta-ball has done to this fanbase!

Also, I like how it looks like Pep is telling his 2 kids to shake hands and stop fighting in the picture

 

[Arson Finger]

Nothing would be more Arsenal than to be knocked out of this critical competition by Unai Emery.

 

[Jasard]

Mr inconsistent is due a win

 

[Tir Na Nog]

Emery dagger to end Arteta, the ultimate act of revenge.