Villarreal vs Arsenal preview: How to watch, predicted lineups, score prediction & injury updates

Arsenal travel to Estadio de la Cerámica on Thursday night to face old foes as Unai Emery’s Villarreal over two legs of Europa League semi-final deliciousness is what stands between them and a chance of continental silverware. Here is the match preview.

“Are you frightened?”

“Yes.” – Arteta

“Not nearly frightened enough. I know what hunts you.” 

While the discussions taking place at London Colney between Mikel Arteta, his staff and players probably didn’t follow exactly along the lines of that 2001 movie epic, there are sure to be some interesting exchanges as Arsenal prepare to face none other than Unai Emery.

You can’t write this stuff, can you? Football is a magical sport when it isn’t in the midst of being monopolised by billionaires seeking to re-write the rules to atone for years of their own failings, as it can cough up scenarios like this.

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Villarreal vs Arsenal preview: Europa League semi-final clash against former boss Unai Emery

Arsenal, well-placed for a mid-table finish this season, have a potential of three Europa League fixtures standing between them and the Champions League. Fail to oversee victory, and there will be no European football next term.

Were it not for an atrocious and frankly embarrassing performance in the 2019 Europa League final, who knows where Arsenal could have been.

Thus, in order to rescue their season and completely transform the immediate, mid and probably long-term future of the club, they must beat the man who many argue helped put them in this position. There is obviously more to it.

Emery did not work out at Arsenal. Obviously. He had his moments, but there was no identity, rhythm or balance. That doesn’t make him a terrible human being. Emery gave his all, it simply wasn’t the right fit.

Nonetheless, the Spaniard is the enemy on Thursday. Taking over at a Villarreal side that finished fifth last season, he has them battling for a European berth again this season although all attentions will be shifted to a match where Emery arguably has as more to prove against his former employers than they do with him.

It’s going to be tasty.

How to Watch on TV

When Is Kick Off? Thursday 29 April
What Time Is Kick Off? 20:00 (GMT)
Where Is it Played? Estadio de la Cerámica
TV Channel/Live Stream? BT Sport (UK) fuboTV (USA)
Referee? Artur Dias

Arsenal Team News vs Villarreal

What a week of sport it has been for all those connected to Arsenal Football Club, even without kicking a ball.

Has all the off-field drama and turmoil helped settle some nerves with the focus shifted elsewhere, or have the ongoings contributed to exceedingly unwelcome preparations for the players? What is taking place shouldn’t impact team performance. What will, however, is two wretched performances in the build-up.

The last two results have been woeful, and made worse by the lack of key firepower as Alexandre Lacazette remains an uncertainty heading into Thursday. While there was hope of a swift comeback from his hamstring issue, it looks unlikely that he’ll be ready in time.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been training and building some fitness after nearly three weeks out with malaria, an illness that will certainly have an understandable impact in his performances on the pitch, but due to other absences may force him to start in Spain. Arsenal need him.

Kieran Tierney remains unavailable, likely for the rest of the season, but there is good news regarding David Luiz who is back in training and in contention to start.

He wasn’t able to make the impact he would have liked against Everton but Martin Odegaard’s return from an ankle problem is welcome relief for an Arsenal side that have looked blunt in attack over the past two outings. In goal there are no injuries, but has Bernd Leno’s latest clanger risked his place in the side?

Emery’s side head into this crunch encounter without midfielder Vicente Iborra, although left-back Pervis Estupiñán returned from a muscle strain last time out and is in line to earn a start.

Arsenal Predicted Lineup vs Villarreal

Villarreal: Rulli; Foyth, Albiol, Torres, Estupiñán; Chukwueze, Capoue, Parejo, Trigueros; Moreno, Alcacer

Arsenal: Leno; Chambers, Luiz, Mari, Xhaka; Partey, Ceballos, Saka, Odegaard, Smith Rowe, Aubameyang

Villarreal vs Arsenal Score Prediction

Must we?

The usual ‘which Arsenal will show up’ mentality will be implemented here, even if the past two results heavily suggest that the one we will see won’t be the desired option.

Taking a look at the Benfica clash at Stadio Olimpico, it was a classic case of opportunities wasted. Playing the first leg away from home is the ideal platform to be aggressive and front-footed, something Arsenal failed to do in the last-32.

Villarreal have a better away record than home record in this season’s La Liga, winning six of their 16 outings at Estadio de la Cerámica and conceding 19 goals in those fixtures. Arsenal, by contrast, have been marginally better away from home in the Premier League while their Europa League stats are padded by beating some very poor opponents in the group stages.

This is a real chance for Arsenal get a foothold in this tie, but they’ll need their attacking fluency on show which would be aided considerably by potential returns for David Luiz, Martin Odegaard and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Playing the first leg away from home, while not historically or universally accepted as beneficial, may be so on this occasion as the ongoings in north London will be best left out of sight and out of mind.

The question is whether it will all click. Arsenal were poor, laborious and uninspiring in the last two outings, but in both limited Everton and Fulham to a solitary shot on target each. One was a penalty.

If they can move the ball through the thirds quicker and avoid being to slow with their build-up play in the central third, coupled with some fluidity and ruthlessness in attack, then this is a magnificent chance to take control of this tie.

Yet facing the lethal Gerard Moreno in attack and the imperious Pau Torres in defence – not to mention the potential of a Francis Coquelin reunion – along with what could be a fatigued and unfit Aubameyang makes that task significantly tougher.

Score Prediction: Villarreal 1-0 Arsenal