Frankfurt face Arsenal as they gear up for repeat Europa League run

Frankfurt's Filip Kostic celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Europa League play-off, second leg soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Strasbourg. Photo: Michael Probst/AP Photo

Frankfurt's Filip Kostic celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Europa League play-off, second leg soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Strasbourg. Photo: Michael Probst/AP Photo

Published Sep 18, 2019

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BERLIN – Last season's losing finalists Arsenal and

semi-finalists Eintracht Frankfurt come together in the pick of the

games as the 48-team Europa League group stage gets under way on

Thursday.

Frankfurt, who went out on penalties in last season's last four to

eventual winners Chelsea, greet the Arsenal in an encounter between

two teams who have never met in a UEFA competition.

The Bundesliga club have come through three qualifying ties to return

to the group stage, while Arsenal are playing their first European

match since last season's 4-1 final defeat in Baku to Chelsea, who

are now in the Champions League.

Arsenal have three Germans returning to home soil in Mesut Oezil,

Bernd Leno and Shkodran Mustafi, while Frankfurt begin with a

much-changed forward line.

Since last season's campaign, Sebastien Haller, Luka Jovic and

Ante Rebic have left, with Dutch striker Bas Dost and Portugal's

Andre Silva now leading the line.

Frankfurt are no longer outsiders, and with Arsenal can be considered

favourites to survive Group F, which also features Standard Liege and

Vitoria Guimaraes.

Frankfurt's Austrian coach Adi Huetter said: "Arsenal are of course

the favourites, but we think we have a good chance."

And winger Danny da Costa said: "The difference is that we are no

longer the clear underdogs. I think we have a certain international

standing now after last season."

The Premier League also has another Europa League favourite in 2017

winners Manchester United, who begin their campaign at home to

Kazakhstan's Astana in Group L, while newcomers Wolves greet

Portugal's Braga in Group K.

Wolves striker Adama Traore believes the inside knowledge of manager

Nuno Esperito Santo could benefit the English side. "Having

Portuguese players in the squad and having a Portuguese coach can

definitely help us," he said. 

"They come from there, they know how they play, they know the

players, they know the league, and they have played teams like Braga

many times before."

Joining Frankurt are fellow Bundesliga clubs Wolfsburg, who welcome

Ukraine's Europa League debutants Olexandriye in Group I, and

Borussia Moenchengladbach, who host another newcomer in Austrian side

Wolfsberg in Group J.

Rome duo Lazio and Roma lead Italy's charge. Lazio have never met

their Romanian hosts Cluj (Group E), while Roma new signing Henrikh

Mkhitaryan lifted the trophy with Manchester United in 2017 and hopes

for a good start against Istanbul visitors Basaksehir (J).

Armenian midfield Mkhitaryan, who moved to Rome from Arsenal, missed

the 2019 final due to tension between Armenia and final hosts

Azerbaijan.

Sevilla, who won the Europa League three years in a row between 2014

and 2016, travel to Baku to face Qarabaq in Group A without Nolito

who is injured and Lucas Ocampos who is suspended.

Fellow Spanish hopes Espanyol are without striker Facundo Ferreyra

for the visit of Ferenvaros in Group H in a return to European

competition 12 years after they lost the UEFA Cup final to Sevilla.

Getafe also return to European competition with a home encounter with

Turkey's Trabzonspor in Group C, where Basel take on Russian side

Krasnodar.

Elsewhere, Group G could be hard fought, with Porto meeting Young

Boys, and Scottish side Rangers facing Feyenoord.

Glasgow neighbours Celtic meanwhile travel to Rennes in Group E while

PSV Eindhoven are up against Sporting Lisbon in a meeting of the two

fancied sides on Group D.

dpa

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