If things don’t go according to plan against FC Zurich in the Europa League on Thursday night, Mikel Arteta may have a difficult situation in Europe.
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On Thursday night, Arsenal will play in Europe for the final time this year when they welcome FC Zurich of Switzerland at the Emirates Stadium. Mikel Arteta would have hoped that by the final game, his team’s fate in the group would be decided, but that is not the case.
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Instead, there is still more to play for because first place in the group is still up for grabs, which is now more important due to format changes. Second-place finishers will have to play in the round of 32 against a team relegating from the Champions League; the team that wins will receive a bye to the round of 16, entirely skipping an extra game.
It places a greater focus on winning the group because of the crowded fixture schedule and the possible difficulty of the teams leaving the other competition. It presents Arteta with a conundrum regarding the team he chooses to complete the task while also maintaining his team as fit as possible.
The Spaniard added of his side selection, “I don’t approach games believing that after half an hour or 45 minutes we will get the outcome that we desire, but without a doubt I will have a tremendously competitive team out there. “Thursday is our last chance to accomplish our goal because we missed the opportunity in Holland last week.”
To maintain their place, the Gunners must achieve a result equal to or better than PSV Eindhoven’s; yet, should they fail to do so, Arteta’s worst fears may come true. While he waits for that outcome, the difficulties of playing against a Champions League team has emerged following the conclusion of the competition’s group stage.
Eight of the third-place clubs, who have all been confirmed, will go to the next round of the Europa League. Thus, Ajax, Bayer Leverkusen, Barcelona, Sporting CP, RB Salzburg, Shakhtar Donetsk, Sevilla, or Juventus are possible opponents for Arsenal.
The round of 32 matchup between Arteta’s team and this lineup, which boasts a lot of quality, might be challenging. However, efforts should continue to be directed toward ensuring that they will hold the top rank at the end of Thursday’s working day.