Europa League Round of 16
Chelsea and Arsenal had a different fate in the first leg of the Round of 16. Chelsea largely dominated Dynamo Kiev [3-0] while Arsenal got defeated 3-1 in France at Rennes after opening the score early in the game. Arsenal led and was on the scoreboard after just 4 minutes but lost the game when Sockratis saw red letting the homer team scoring three times on them.
Chelsea controlled the match against the Ukrainians and are in control before the second leg next week. Arsenal will need a perfect and strong performance to overcome the two goals deficit and not conceding a goal at home.
Chelsea coach, Sarri, comments on the big win:
“The result is a good result. We were able to not concede, and to not concede a goal at home is very important in this competition. We could have scored more, especially in the first half.
Now we have to be careful. We have to go there with a very good level of application and determination if we want to qualify.
If you concede a goal you can go mentally in trouble. We have to go there with the right level of attention.”
Arsenal coach, Emery, laments the red card that change the match:
“The first 40 minutes I think we controlled, we scored and we didn’t concede good chances to them. But after this red card, it’s different. It’s more than we wanted and I think we can do better. But the result is for the first match and for the first 90 minutes. 3-1 is hard for us, but we are going to start the next match, next week with 11 against 11 and with the same respect we have had in the first half, the first 40 minutes.
We are going to do that at home against them. But we need to also change our performance and I have the confidence with our players, with our supporters helping us to create one big atmosphere to give us a good spirit against them to comeback.
for the next week, we are going to start 11 against 11, without Sokratis and without Lacazette, but we have players. Like the first 40 minutes, we can do it with our supporters also, to have the possibility to come back. But we know this result is not good. It is bad and it is going to be tough for us.”
