Arsenal vs Benfica preview: team news, Gunners predicted lineup, managers quotes & more

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Arsenal vs Benfica preview: team news, Gunners predicted lineup, managers quotes & more

Team News

Arsenal

According to the latest Arteta's update, Partey is close to full fitness and is likely to be available as he travelled with the team to Athens.

Benfica

Gilberto (right-back) returns to the squad after missing the first leg through injury. Jardel (centre-back) is a long-term absentee.

Arsenal's potential lineup

Gabriel and David Luiz will form a partnership at the heart of defence as they seem to be trusted by Arteta as a duo.

Cedric, who was rested against City, is likely to get a spot at left-back, which means that Bellerin will start on the right.

If Partey passes a late fitness test he'll surely play in midfield alongside Xhaka.

Saka is currently irreplaceable and will be picked for the most important games. Smith Rowe, who was introduced on Sunday only late in the second, should get his spot on the left with Odegaard playing in the No. 10 role.

We think Auba will be kept up front despite his inconsistent form. Bad luck and poor finishing have to stop at some point with the striker starting firing again.

Benfica possible starting lineup: Leite; Gilberto, Vertonghen, Otamendi, Grimaldo; Silva, Weigl, Pizzi, Everton; Nunez, Waldschmidt.

Stats & trivia

  • Arsenal have won five of their last six home matches against Portuguese opposition (D1), scoring 20 goals across those five victories.
  • Benfica's only previous away match against Arsenal saw them win at Highbury in the European Cup last 16 in 1991-92. Managed at the time by Sven-Goran Eriksson, Benfica needed extra-time goals from Vasiliy Kulkov and Isaías to secure a 3-1 win.
  • Arsenal have won on each of their previous two visits to Greece, both against, Olympiakos, in the UEFA Champions League in December 2015 and the UEFA Europa League in February 2020.
  • Benfica's last knockout stage match held in Greece was a 1-0 win away to PAOK Salonika in the last 32 of the UEFA Europa League in 2013-14.
  • Since the start of last season, only Nicolas Pepe (10) has had a direct hand in more of Arsenal's 37 goals in the UEFA Europa League than Bukayo Saka (3 goals, 6 assists), who netted the equaliser in the first leg.

Form (all competitions)

Arsenal: DLLWDL

Benfica: DWWDDD

Managers' quotes

Mikel Arteta (Arsenal FC)

"The away goal is always important but in this context I don't think it's that relevant. We take the game like there is everything still to play for. It's the second half of the game and we need to go there to try to go to win the game. Any other thing, without the fans, without being in our stadium, I think makes the game very tricky."

Jorge Jesus (Benfica FC)

Will speak to the press on Thursday

AuthorEvgeniy KozhemiakoSourceTribuna.com
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