Fresh off a victory at Watford last night in Premier League play, Arsenal FC next head to Napoli to try and punch their ticket to the UEFA Europa League semis. While winning this tournament provides a route back into the UEFA Champions League, the side is more focused on getting back into Europe’s big big tourney via a top four finish in the Premier League.
Up 2-0 on aggregate, Gunners midfielder Granit Xhaka says his side will not be taking the Serie A club lightly on Thursday night.
“I think against Napoli it is a different game,” the Switzerland international said.
“We had a good result at home, 2-0, but it will not be easy in Napoli as you have seen with Liverpool there or Paris (Saint-Germain). Napoli have a good team, especially with their fans, but 2-0 is a good result and I hope we can go to the semi-final.”
Arsenal FC Starting XI Prediction (4-3-3) vs Napoli (UEFA Europa League Quarterfinal Leg 2/2)
Attacking Players: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alex Iwobi, Alexandre Lacazette
Midfielders: Lucas Torreira, Matteo Guendouzi, Aaron Ramsey
Defenders: Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Shkodran Mustafi, Sokratis, Nacho Monreal
Goalkeeper: Petr Cech
Arsenal FC at Napoli UEL Quarterfinal Leg 2/2 (Gunners up 2-0 on aggregate) FYIs
Kickoff: Thursday, April 18, 8pm, San Paulo Stadium
Injury Report for both sides: go to this link
Odds via Odds Checker: Arsenal 75/19, Draw 16/5, Napoli 8/11
Prediction: Arsenal 2, Napoli 1
You can safely bet that both English clubs are going to get through to the semi-final round, and most likely won of the pair will win it all in the end.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, regularly appears as a guest pundit on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
He also contributes sociopolitical essays to Chicago Now. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram. The content of his cat’s Instagram account is unquestionably superior to his.