On Friday, Arsenal will hopefully be in the Europa League semi-final draw along with three other clubs from around the continent, so here’s the lowdown on what to expect from each one.
At this stage, we still don’t know for sure which three of the six teams remaining will still be in the competition tomorrow. Let’s look at all the possibilities:
3Atletico Madrid
Like Leipzig, Atletico started out in the Champions League, but they had a tough group. Chelsea and AS Roma ended up finishing first and second, as the Spanish side simply drew too many matches.
That hasn’t been a problem in the Europa League, as they’ve won every game so far. They won the first-leg of their quarter-final 2-0 against Sporting CP.
Atletico’s strength is undoubtedly their defensive record. Despite finishing third in their Champions League group, they only conceded four goals in six games. Arsenal conceded more than that in their last Champions League match alone.
Striker Antoine Griezmann is in his usual impressive form for the side this year, with 25 goals and 13 assists in 40 matches. Goalkeeper Jan Oblak casts a formidable figure in behind the defence, and only adds to their solidity at the back.
Diego Simeone’s side are surely favourites for the tournament.
2017/18 European record
- Wins: 6
- Draws: 4
- Defeats: 1
- Goals scored: 20
- Goals conceded: 6