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Instead of a derby held in London, the two London clubs will meet in Baku for the Europa League final. Both sides have geared up for the clash in their respective ways. Chelsea faced New England Revolution in America while Arsenal held a closed door friendly against LASK Linz.
Victory for the Blues will add another trophy to their cabinet. However, for Arsenal, there is something more to it than just the trophy. Winning the Europa League is the only route left to play in the Champions League next season. Surely, the North London club will be eager to return to the elite competition after playing no role in it for two consecutive seasons.
Unai Emery knows the significance of winning this competition and he knows exactly what it takes to lift the trophy, having done it previously at Sevilla. Here are three reasons why the Gunners will win the competition.
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#3 Arsenal's prolific duo in the Europa League
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette were responsible for all seven goals scored in the semi-final ties against Valencia. In all, the Gabonese has eight goals whilst the French striker has five goals in the competition thus far.
Both forwards might have scored fewer goals individually than the top scorer of the competition, Olivier Giroud, but when playing together, the duo has almost never stopped scoring.
With their attacking prowess, there is a high chance that both strikers will put a few past Chelsea. They have led Arsenal to this far in the competition, proving themselves time and again in big matches.
Arsenal and Chelsea would definitely have their chances, but it will be a matter of how many of those each side can convert. Aubameyang and Lacazette have been brilliant this season and they look sharper than the Blues' attackers. This vital edge could see the Gunners beat Chelsea.
#2 Arsenal's desperation to qualify for the Champions League
For Chelsea, winning this competition would just mean that they have another trophy in their cabinet. Other than that, there is no particular significance of winning this competition given that they have already qualified for the Champions League.
On the other hand, this is the only way the Gunners have in order to play in the Champions League next season. The North London club has missed Champions League action for two consecutive seasons. Both Emery and Arsene Wenger have invested heavily in a bid to get the club back into the competition.
The managers have welcomed the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Sokratis and Bernd Leno to improve the squad's weaknesses. These signings are desperate for Champions League action. With this additional motivation as compared to the Blues, the Gunners' eagerness could lead them to victory in the end.
#1 Unai Emery's achievements in the Europa League
Arsenal's manager lifted the Europa League trophy for three consecutive seasons with Sevilla. Surely, his achievements in the competitions are some of the many reasons why the board decided to appoint him as the first manager of the post-Wenger era. The board wanted to hinge on his success in the Europa League.
In his 75 matches in charge in the competition, Emery has won 45 of them. The Spaniard is certainly a specialist in the Europa League and it would be hard to get past his side.
The former Paris Saint-Germain manager has guided the Gunners to comebacks against Bate Borisov and Rennes. After that, he inspired his players to a convincing victory against Napoli. In the semi-finals, he pulled off a tactical masterclass in Arsenal's amazing performance against Valencia, especially in the second leg.
Maurizio Sarri also deserves credit for motivating Chelsea to press on when Frankfurt dragged the match into extra time and penalties. However, Emery has much more experience in this tournament, and Sarri might not be able to outwit the 47-year-old.
