Solskjaer's campaign for the first trophy in Manchester United and the confrontation between Emery and Arteta: what are interesting about the semifinals of the Europa League

Roma wants to save the season, Solskjaer - to take the first trophy

Mankunians can be safely called the main contender for victory in the Europa League. The team in 2021 demonstrates good results, is in second place in the Premier League standings and alternately knocked out Real Sociedad, Milan and Granada from the European Cup. True, the last week was not easy for Manchester United. At first, the club announced its joining the Super League, but a couple of days later, along with other representatives of the Premier League, changed its mind, which led to the announcement of the resignation of the vice-president of the club, Ed Woodward. And then Ole-Gunnar Solskjaer's wards broke up with Leeds (0: 0) and interrupted their five-game winning streak in the national championship.

However, this is nothing against the background of Roma's problems, which are doing much worse.

In the last seven Serie A meetings, the Romans have won only one victory and dropped out of the European competition zone.

Moreover, their lag from the closest competitor Lazio is six points, and the opponent also has a game in reserve.

In other words, the wards of Paulo Fonseca have the only opportunity to save the season, and at the same time make their way directly to the Champions League - to win the Europa League.

At the same time, in LE, the team's affairs are incomparably better.

In six playoff games, she won five victories, alternately overcoming the resistance of Braga (3: 1, 2: 0), Shakhtar (3: 0, 2: 1) and Ajax (1: 1, 2: one).

Now the Romans have the opportunity to make their way to the Eurocup final for the first time in 30 years.

In 1991, they reached the decisive UEFA Cup confrontation, but were defeated by Inter on aggregate.

It is surprising that Roma managed to achieve their current results in the international arena, despite the epidemic of injuries, the consequences of which are still felt. In particular, in the first match against Manchester United, the Italian team will definitely not be helped by Nicolo Zagnolo, Pedro and Riccardo Calafiori. Plus, central defender Gianluca Mancini received a disqualification. Nor will the British be able to use the optimal composition. Phil Jones and Anthony Martial will miss the meeting due to knee injuries.

But the Romans are in the ranks of Borja Mayoral and Edin Dzeko, who scored 11 goals for two in the current season of the Europa League.

The 35-year-old Bosnian is the most uncomfortable forward for Manchester United.

The fact is that in his entire career he confronted an opponent nine times and scored seven goals and gave two assists for Wolfsburg and Manchester City.

Now the veteran has a chance to help Roma.

Nevertheless, “Manchester United” still remains the clear favorite of the pair.

On the side of the team and statistics.

For example, in the last three confrontations in the playoffs of European competitions with the Italian teams, the “red devils” turned out to be stronger.

At Old Trafford, where the first match will take place, the hosts have suffered only one defeat in their last eight meetings with rivals from the Apennine Peninsula.

Roma, on the other hand, have not seen victories in England for over 20 years.

In February 2001, the Romans beat Liverpool with a minimum score in the 1/8 finals of the UEFA Cup, but were eliminated from the tournament.

Since then, the team has suffered eight defeats here and four draws.

It is curious that until 2007, the paths of the capital's team with Manchester United had never crossed.

But after that they played six matches among themselves in two years.

And it is unlikely that in Italy they are remembered with a kind word.

In the spring of 2007, the opponents met in the Champions League quarterfinals.

The Italians won at home - 2: 1, but on the road suffered a humiliating defeat with a score of 7: 1.

Moreover, this fight was the last in European competition for Solskjaer as an active football player.

In the next Champions League draw, the rivals were in the same group, and Manchester United won at home with a minimum score, and on the road was content with a draw - 1: 1.

Finally, in the quarterfinals, the draw brought them together again.

Alex Ferguson's charges were again stronger (1: 0, 2: 0) and eventually won the tournament.

Emery vs. former team and compatriot coach

England's honor in the Europa League semi-finals will also be defended by Arsenal.

At the same time, Londoners, unlike Manchester United, have a much less successful season.

In the Premier League standings, they occupy only tenth place, and therefore the only opportunity to break into the European cups for them is to win the tournament, to which there are three steps left.

Moreover, the previous confrontations in the playoffs turned out to be difficult for the Gunners, although they did not meet with rivals from the leading European championships. First, they had to make a memorable comeback in a home match with Benfica - 3: 2. Then Olympiacos was passed with some difficulty (0: 1, 3: 1). Finally, the 13-time champion of England in the first quarterfinal meeting managed to draw at home with Slavia - 1: 1. True, in the Czech Republic, Mikel Arteta's wards scored four unanswered goals against the Prague people, but the sediment remained.

Villarreal will become a much more serious opponent for them.

Let the team perform not very well in the Example, but in the LE won 11 victories in 12 matches with one draw.

In the playoffs, she left no chances for Salzburg (2: 0, 2: 1), Kiev (2: 0, 2: 0) and Dynamo Zagreb (1: 0, 2: 1).

And Gerard Moreno scored six goals in these meetings.

But the figure of head coach Unai Emery attracts much more attention.

In 2018, he replaced Arsene Wenger himself as Arsenal's mentor.

However, the one and a half year cooperation of the Spaniard with Londoners turned out to be not very successful.

Under his leadership, they took only fifth place in the Premier League and lost in the final to the LE "Chelsea" - 1: 4.

At the end of November 2019, Emery was dismissed.

It is curious that another Spanish mentor, Mikel Arteta, took his place.

Thus, an interesting coaching confrontation awaits the fans in the semifinals.

However, Unai himself stressed that he does not hold a grudge against the former team.

“My work at Arsenal is already in the past.

I have to be grateful to the Gunners.

I remember a lot of good things about the time I spent there.

Mikel Arteta and Arsenal are the perfect match.

This is an excellent trainer.

His individuality and clear strategy are clearly visible, ”the UEFA official website quotes the specialist.

The second additional intrigue of the confrontation is the desire of Villarreal to take revenge for two defeats in the Champions League playoffs. The failure in the semifinals of the tournament in 2006 turned out to be especially offensive. Then the "Gunners" won at home with a minimum score, and at home they parted with the rival in the world - 0: 0. At the same time, the hosts earned a penalty in the end, but Jens Lehmann parried Juan Roman Riquelme's kick.

Three years later, the situation repeated itself in the quarterfinals.

The meeting in Spain ended in a draw - 1: 1, and in England the Londoners completely defeated the opponent - 3: 0.

Now Villarreal has the opportunity not only to take revenge on them, but for the first time in history to become a participant in the decisive confrontation of the European Cup.

Previously, the team twice reached the LE semifinals, but in both cases suffered defeats: in 2011 from Porto (3: 2, 1: 5), and in 2016 from another English team, Liverpool (1: 0, 0: 3).

Perhaps the presence of head coach Emery, who won this trophy three times with Sevilla and reached the final with Arsenal, will finally help Villarreal take an important step.