Arsenal and Valencia face at Emirates Stadium, in a match for this phase of the UEFA Europa League (Semi-finals). There is no record of direct confrontations between these two teams in the last 3 years. The last match was played on 08-08-2009 and ended with the score: Valencia (2-0) Arsenal. In this match the home factor may be decisive, since both teams present considerable differences in the results obtained at home and as a visitor.
Arsenal:
Until reaching this stage of the UEFA Europa League (Semi-finals), the home team eliminated: Napoli, Rennes and BATE. This is a team that usually makes good use of the home advantage, stronger with the help of its supporters, since in the last 30 matches they register 4 wins, 2 draws and 9 losses in away matches, with 15 goals scored and 26 conceded; against 12 wins and 3 losses at their stadium, with 34 goals scored and 12 conceded. The team comes to this match after a loss away to Leicester City by (3-0). Arsenal won 5 and drew 1 of their last 6 home games for the UEFA Europa League.
In this competition, they have won the last 4 home matches and have not lost any of the last 6 home matches. Their defense has been very strong, having only scored goals in 2 of the last 10 matches, and their offense has scored consistently, as they have scored goals in 8 of the last 10 matches for this competition. In their away matches there is a tendency for goals, since 29 of the last 32 matches have ended with Over 1,5 goals. The team usually has no problem opening the scoring: it marked the first goal in 10 of the last 12 matches for the UEFA Europa League, of these 10 came to the break in advantage in 8 and managed to maintain the advantage until the end of the 90 ‘in 9
Arsenal comes to this game with a defeat, 3-0, in the displacement to the Leicester field, adding in this way the third consecutive snub, all for the English championship. To reach the semifinal of the Europa League, the English eliminated the Italians from Naples. In this game against the fans, the great goal of coach Unai Emery will be to attack in a more organized way, with successive slow attacks, thus maintaining his safe goal. The great highlight at the individual level is the Gabonese Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, player who scored 4 goals in this Europa League. For this game the coach does not have Denis Suarez, Ramsey, Welbeck, Bellerin and Holding, players recovering from injury.
Valencia:
Until reaching this phase of the UEFA Europa League (Semi-finals), the visiting team eliminated: Villarreal, Krasnodar and Celtic. This is a team that usually makes good use of the home advantage, stronger with the help of its supporters, since in the last 30 matches they register 6 wins, 4 draws and 5 losses in away matches, with 23 goals scored and 21 conceded; against 10 wins, 4 draws and 1 loss at their stadium, with 23 goals scored and 6 conceded. The team comes to this match after a home loss with Eibar by (0-1). In the last 10 away matches Valencia has won 5, tied 3 and lost 2. Their offense has scored frequently, since they have scored at least one goal in each of the last 6 matches for this competition . In 15 games, he never got the comeback in the 4 games in which he suffered the first goal.
Valencia comes to this game with a defeat, by 0-1, in the reception to Eibar, registering in this way the second consecutive snub, all for the Spanish championship. In the last tie of the Europa League, the visiting team beat Villarreal 1-3 and 2-0. In this game away from home, coach Marcelino Toral must maintain the usual 4-4-2, benefiting a medium or low block and counterattacks, exploring in the best way the space in the opponent’s back. Captain Dani Parejo is the great highlight of Valencia, with 9 goals scored in several competitions. It is important to emphasize that the aforementioned athlete is the one responsible for creating and organizing the offensive process. For this first leg the coach can not count on Piccini, Cheryshev and Kondogbia, all with physical problems.
