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In the first leg The Gunners have won 4-1 at the Emirates. It is clear that we are aware of how amazing football is and that anything can happen especially when we saw how AS Roma have won 3-0 vs Barca on Wednesday. But after the sensational first leg of the English team it is reasonable to expect Arsenal to progress in the semifinals and CSKA Moscow to be eliminated from the competition. The match could be very balanced but Arsenal will try to give as little as possible chances to the opponents and to end the enthusiasm in the team of the Russian capital.
CSKA Moscow’s time in the Europa League could be coming to an end . They were demolished in the first half of their trip to the Emirates last week, conceding four goals in 35 minutes and eventually ending up 4-1 losers on the night. A 4-1 deficit is hardly better for the underdogs here.
CSKA Moscow followed this up with a 2-1 loss at home to Dinamo Moscow as well, a result that leaves them eight points adrift of the top spot in the Russian Premier League. What was once looking like a very promising season is now turning into a disappointment.
Arsenal’s season hasn’t exactly gone to plan, but they are at least looking at a strong finish to the campaign. Arsene Wenger has endured possibly the worst spell of his long managerial career this year, winning just four of his opening 14 games of 2018 and losing four in a row back in February. Fortunately for the Emirates faithful, he has turned it around recently.
The Gunners beat Southampton 3-2 at home on Sunday to make it six wins in a row in all competitions, a run which includes a double over AC Milan and their 4-1 thrashing of CSKA Moscow last weekend. They have a pretty impressive record away from home in the Europa League this season too.
The visitors have won four of their five trips away in the competition, and whilst some of that opposition was fairly weak their 2-0 win over Milan was a very good performance. Add that to CSKA Moscow’s home record in Europe and Arsenal will start to feel confident.
CSKA Moscow lost at home to Lyon in their last Europa League home game, and in the Champions League group stages they lost to both Manchester United and Basel at home. This, combined with Arsenal’s recent resurgence, makes an Arsenal win look the best bet for Thursday’s game.
The hosts have scored in six of their last seven competitive home games though, and with Arsenal conceding in seven of their last ten trips away an Arsenal Win and Both Teams to Score looks a good bet too, along with a 2-1 correct score predictions.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is ineligible to play in the Europa League following his January transfer, and that removes all speculation over whether him or Alexandre Lacazette will be preferred up front. With Lacazette back in the fray we’re expecting him to find the net again, and after scoring a brace in his only Europa League appearance of the season last week we think he’s good value to get on the scoresheet here.
CSKA MOSCOW VS ARSENAL STATS
Arsenal are aiming to reach their first European semi-final since 2008/09.
Only once previously has a team lost a first leg Europa League knockout tie by three goals and progressed to the next round – Valencia against FC Basel in 2013/14.
English teams are unbeaten in eight European trips to Moscow, winning five of them.
Alexandre Lacazette has been involved in 12 goals in his last 11 starts in the Europa League, scoring a brace in his last two appearances.
59% of the goals CSKA have conceded in European competition this season have been against English opposition.
CSKA Moscow goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev has failed to keep a clean sheet in his last 13 club matches against English opposition.
CSKA Moscow have found the net in six of their last seven competitive home games.
The hosts have lost three of their five European home games this season, including their last tie against Lyon and a 2-0 loss to Basel in the Champions League group stages.
Arsenal have won four of their five away games in the Europa League this season.
CSKA MOSCOW TEAM NEWS
CSKA Moscow will be without the injured Viktor Vasin and Mario Fernandes here, but Kirill Nababkin will return after missing the first leg through suspension.
ARSENAL TEAM NEWS
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is ineligible for this competition, whilst David Ospina is an injury doubt and both Santi Cazorla and Henrikh Mkhitaryan are ruled out.