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Arsenal: When does the Europa League become important?
Even with one game still to play, Arsenal have qualified for the knockout stages of the Europa League in the first position of the group. So when does the perceived lesser European competition become a priority?
Arsenal have qualified for the knockout stages of the Europa League. More than that, however, they have qualified as winners of their group, meaning that they are more likely to be handed a kinder draw in the next round.
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That is important because of the eight teams that will drop into the competition from the Champions League. This will include clubs like CSKA Moscow, Sporting Lisbon, and Atletico Madrid, and could yet see RB Leipzip and Borussia Dortmund enter the fray depending on the results on Wednesday night.
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Having said that, Arsenal will be considered as one of the favourites to win the competition, even with Arsene Wenger’s inclination to rest his more established starters thus far. So the question becomes, with Thursday night’s game against BATE Borisov being the last of the group stages, at what point in the season should the Europa League become a priority for the Gunners?
In the first round of the knockout stages, which will not take place until the 15th and 22nd of February, more than two months into the future after a packed festive schedule and the commencement of the FA Cup, Arsenal will be entered into pot one by virtue of winning the group. They will be joined by the other 11 Europa League group winners and the four best third-placed Champions League finishers, which is determined via their goal record.
Wenger, therefore, can expect to be handed a winnable tie. And if his side were able to progress through the first couple of knockout stages without too much trouble, does Wenger then begin to give more credence to the competition?
This is a question that has been only become more pertinent in recent seasons because the winner is awarded qualification for next season’s Champions League, which, in an increasingly competitive Premier League, where there are six good teams vying for only four qualification positions, any other avenue to qualify is one worth exploring. Jose Mourinho and Manchester United, for example, took full advantage of this, with the Portuguese manager even resting players in the Premier League to protect them for the Europa League late in the season.
Additionally, Wenger is yet to win a European trophy during his 21 years in North London. Obviously, the Europa League is not the European trophy that he would like the most. But it is nonetheless a blot on his record that he can address.
Next: Arsenal Vs BATE Borisov: Predicted starting XI
I believe that Wenger has been wise in rotating through his squad thus far in the Europa League. But as the winning line draws ever nearer, there should be a debate had regarding the strength of the team that he fields. That time is not yet here. But it is close.