Just like the Champions League, which we have seen for the past two evenings, the Europa League is also down to the last eight. Of those clubs that remain, two are from England and are probably among the favourites to win the competition outright along with Napoli and Benfica. One of Napoli or Arsenal will be out after this game though as they face each other in what is certainly the clash of the round.

Napoli are out of contention pretty much for the Serie A title, so they have this as their big chance to do something this season. Arsenal are nowhere near the Premier League title but could get back into the top four, and that would make this season a success for them, regardless of what happens in the Europa League, a trophy here would simply be the cherry on top of a good season.

These two are both capable of being Champions League teams, and while Arsenal missed out this season, Napoli did play in the earlier rounds of the competition before finishing third what was an awfully tough group that included both Liverpool and Paris SG. That put them in the Europa League, and straight away they were fancied by many to go close.

This is the first of two games and both should provide us with excellent viewing. Italy is a tough place to go, and Napoli are strong at home, so Arsenal probably need to get something from this first game to have any chance of qualifying. Napoli are strong in defence, typically Italian in that approach, and that is exactly the way I expect them to play here, knowing that a draw would give them the upper hand as they are at home in the second leg. I don’t think there is too much between these, and it really could go either way, coming down to who performs best across the two nights.

Is Arsenal’s Emery Experiment Working so Far?

It is probably too early to answer this question in all honesty. Third place in the Premier League and a Europa League trophy looks a lot different to 6th and being knocked out at the quarter final stage. Both are genuine possibilities right now, with little between them.

Overall, I don’t think Arsenal fans will be too disappointed and this was a season where the club didn’t really have any expectations. Both the board and fans recognised that things needed to change, which takes time, and this season was the one where Unai Emery was allowed to evaluate what he had, bring in some youngsters and draw a line under the past, ahead of what will be a fresh push next season.

I don’t think Arsenal have the spending power to live with the top teams in England, and to compete with them on the field they are going to have to take a slower approach. We have seen that already to a certain extent this season, with them signing younger players who are not quite ready in the hope of developing them into top quality players who can make them a lot better. The biggest problem for Arsenal may be keeping hold of those player, but if the squad improves together and becomes a top four team then there is no reason why they have to sell off their best assets.

As far as the Europa League goes, this is not a trophy of huge significance to any English club really, but it would certainly bring a feel good factor to The Emirates. It would also guarantee Arsenal the chance to play in the Champions League next season if they didn’t finish in the top four of the Premier League. They certainly have a genuine chance of winning it, but face their toughest test yet here. We have seen Arsenal perform well in Europe for well over a decade, can they dig deep and find a performance here to get them into the semi finals?

Arsenal vs Napoli Betting Tips

I am really looking forward to seeing these two play each other twice, I think we are in for two very good games. Both teams have the ability to qualify from the game, and I don’t think there will be much more than a goal between them regardless of how things end up, with both games being tight.

It is difficult to pick a winner, both for the first game and for the tie overall, but it is the first game I will concentrate on here. I like Napoli, and I think they are strong defensively, and strong enough to limit the chances that Arsenal will get in the first game. The Gunners have to attack to a certain extent, although they won’t put all of their eggs into one basket and leave themselves open in the first game I don’t think.

We have a situation here where Napoli would be happy with a draw in the first game, and I don’t think Arsenal would see it as a huge negative, as they would still be in the tie. It will be interesting to see how this game pans out, but I get the feeling it could turn into a tactical battle, with neither team wanting to commit too much, with the risk of being caught on the break in their minds.

With all of that to consider, I think the best way to go forward with this game is to back the draw in the first leg, and let these two settle the score in Italy in a couple of weeks from now. A draw would suit Napoli more than it would suit Arsenal, but neither would feel too bad about drawing, and the tie certainly wouldn’t be over that is for sure.

Two of the best teams left in the competition go head to head here, and I get the feeling that the first game may not be able to split them, on my card I have this game down as a draw.

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