Arsenal-Zurich is a match for the sixth day of the Europa League group stage and will be played on Thursday at 21:00: statistics, prediction, forecasts, live TV and streaming.
Mikel Arteta may have rightly prioritised the league, where the Gunners are top of the table after 12 games, but in doing so he has reopened the race for the lead in the Europa League group stage. And now the risk is to finish second and be forced to go through the play-offs with the third-placed teams in the Champions League group. For this scenario to occur, however, a real catastrophe would have to happen on the last day of the group stage. Arsenal are already certain to go ahead in the competition, but they will have to avoid being overtaken by Psv, who now have only two points less and in the event of a draw would overtake the Londoners for having scored one goal more in the direct clashes. That is why Gabriel and his team-mates know they must not make any missteps against Zurich, already beaten 2-1 in the first leg and today the group’s bottom of the table.
The Swiss, however, are not out of it yet. They are competing for third place – which gives them the ‘lifeline’ of the Conference League – with the Norwegians of Bodo/Glimt, currently one point above them (the goal difference, in the event of a draw, would reward Bodo). Overturning the odds will be tricky, but the Swiss champions will take to the pitch in London with the attitude of those who have nothing to lose. Arsenal, meanwhile, consolidated their lead in the Premier League by overwhelming Forest 5-0 and responding to City’s success. It was also a happy weekend for Zurich: after the 2-1 victory over Bodo came the league win against Mario Balotelli’s Sion, beaten 1-0.
Boranijasevic’s exultation
The prediction
Arsenal, despite the turnover, should easily impose themselves on Zurich in a match that should not be short on goals: at least three in total will be scored.
Arsenal-Zurich matchday squad
- ARSENAL (4-3-3): Ramsdale; Tomiyasu, Holding, Gabriel, Tierney; Odegaard, Lokonga, Vieira; Nelson, Nketiah, Martinelli.
- ZURIGO (3-4-1-2): Brecher; Mets, Aliti, Kamberi; Boranijasevic, Selnaes, Conde, Guerrero; Marchesano; Okita, Tosin.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 3-1
