Arsenal vs BATE Borisov: 5 key players to make this easy

4. Matteo Guendouzi

This match falls in a very unique position where there are no Premier League matches in between the two legs, so the need to give players a rest isn’t necessarily there, but that doesn’t mean the opportunity to rest them shouldn’t be taken. Players that are still injured, or recovering from injury, don’t need to be rushed back, and I have Granit Xhaka particularly in mind when I say that.

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We don’t need to push anyone who isn’t ready. And that is why Matteo Guendouzi is so great, because he is young, and therefore invincible, and can play every single match that you put him in to maximum effectiveness.

The young Frenchman has grown more and more into a universally positive contributor, whether that be in the attack or on defense. He is improving day by day and in a match that you’d think would be easy, but not nearly worth the risk of sending out a youth squad, Guendouzi fits the middle ground.

He’s young enough to not need the rest, but effective enough to be a reliable key player, and that’s why he finds himself on this list. He’s likely to be the anchor of the midfield, as both he and Torreira figure to feature in this one.

Next up, No. 3.