Atletico fortress gives Arsenal headache in Europa semi-final.
dpa Berlin Arsenal will need to do something that has not been done in a while if they are to continue their quest for a trophy for outgoing manager Arsene Wenger. They head to Madrid for their Europa League semi-final second leg knowing Atletico have not conceded in their last 11 home matches in all competitions going back to mid-January. The Gunners were left to rue a missed opportunity~after Antoine Griezmann~scored a late equalizer to give 10-man Atletico a 1-1 draw in the first leg in London last week. But absences in the Atletico backline give the Londoners hope of still winning the trophy and sneaking into next term's Champions League. "We know we have to go there and win the game or at least score a goal to qualify, so on that front we know exactly what we have to do," said Wenger, who will leave the club after the season following 22 years in charge."We could open them up and create chances. So, we have to take that out of the (first leg) and go to Atletico Madrid in a positive mind." Midfielders Henrikh Mkhitaryan (knee) and Alex Iwobi (hamstring) and goalkeeper David Ospina (ribs) are all questionable after picking up injuries in the 2-1 Premier League defeat at Manchester United on Sunday.~Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is ineligible. Atletico coach Diego Simeone will welcome back striker Diego Costa, who missed the first leg with a hamstring injury but safely negotiated 60 minutes in the weekend 1-0 La Liga win at Alaves. He will be without full-backs Sime Vrsaljko, who was sent off in the first leg, and Juanfran Torres who is out injured with a hamstring strain.~ He could play midfielder Thomas Partey at right-back as he did in the first leg with Lucas Hernandez at left-back. But the Argentinian coach is also considering a tactical change with a back three and Vitolo coming in to play as a left wingback and Partey as a right wingback. "I like my team's ability to reinvent itself," said Simeone at the weekend when asked about his players' versatility and capacity to adapt to various systems. In the other semi-final second leg, Marseille head to Salzburg boasting a 2-0 lead. Florian Thauvin and Clinton Njie grabbed the goals at the Stade Velodrome but they were both set up by creative maestro Dimitri Payet. Salzburg can cling to the fact they have won three UEFA competition home games by three or more goals this term while the French side have lost four of their away matches. The two teams played each other in the group stage, with Salzburg winning 1-0 at home, with the game in Marseille goalless. The final on May 16 in the fellow French City of Lyon is a big draw for Marseille but Salzburg are not giving up just yet having eliminated Borussia Dortmund and Lazio on the way. "We put in a very good performance in the first leg. We were lacking a bit of luck, unfortunately, and we didn't get the away goal we wanted," said midfielder Amadou Haidara. "We need to make up for that at home. It will be very difficult, but it's doable."
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Publication: | Qatar Tribune (Doha, Qatar) |
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Date: | May 3, 2018 |
Words: | 546 |
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