Valencia vs Arsenal LIVE score – Europa League semi-final second leg

Valencia vs Arsenal, LIVE (1-3 agg) – Europa League semi-final: Latest updates as Gunners look to reach final

  • Arsenal travel to Valencia for the second leg of their semi-final on Thursday night
  • The Gunners hold a 3-1 lead at the halfway stage thanks to an excellent display
  • Valencia will be looking to take advantage of Arsenal’s poor away form though
  • Valencia XI: Neto, Piccini, Garay, Gabriel, Gaya, Wass, Parejo, Coquelin, Guedes, Rodrigo, Gameiro.
  • Arsenal XI: Cech, Monreal, Sokratis, Koscielny, Maitland-Niles, Xhaka, Torreira, Kolasinac, Lacazette, Ozil, Aubameyang. 
  • LIVE: Follow the action from Chelsea and Frankfurt’s semi-final second leg here

Arsenal make the trip to Valencia for the second leg of their Europa League semi-final on Thursday night.

Alexandre Lacazette’s brace saw the Spanish side’s early lead shattered in the first-half before Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang added a third for the Gunners with a 90th minute goal to secure a 3-1 lead last week.

Valencia will be hoping to take advantage of Arsenal’s poor away form as they aim to make up the two-goal deficit and reach the final in Baku later this month.

Sportmail’s MAX WINTERS will provide live coverage of Valencia vs Arsenal at the Mestalla including score, lineups and build-up. 


  • Max Winters

    Host commentator



Guedes fizzes over the bar. Gaya gets in down the left and sticks the ball through Maitland-Niles’ legs.

The youngster gets back and flicks the ball away just inside the box but it falls to Guedes, who can only fire high into the stands.


Good chance for the hosts. Gameiro links up play nicely and crosses into the near post where a team-mate is waiting. Koscielny manages to get a touch on it though and the resulting corner comes to nothing.


Valencia are making mistake in possession early on. Not quite the fluidity from the hosts that you would expect.

Rodrigo looks to be in on goal but Monreal makes a good recovery to clear the danger.


Some crunching tackles in the early stages of the game as Valencia look to impose themselves.

Arsenal not really pressing that high but they need to get themselves on the ball and dictating play to silence the home fans.


The beloved Mestalla is a crumbling cathedral and one of the press benches has just collapsed under the weight of television monitors. They’ve propped it up with a couple of equipment cases. On we go.

Off we go then. Arsenal in navy and Valencia in their famous all white strip. This should be a cracker!


Here they come then. Both sets of players make their way out onto the pitch to a raucous reception. 

Much is made of the Champions League anthem but the Europa League’s isn’t too bad either you know.


The players have left the changing rooms and are now in the tunnel. The noise inside the stadium is incredible.


Almost time to get underway in Spain now as the players return to the dressing rooms for their final preparations. 

The atmosphere that we saw on the streets outside the ground has made its way in and the Mestalla is a cauldron of noise. 10 minutes to go!


Pako Ayestaran: (Criticism of Emery) ‘It is totally unfair but it is true as well. Every manager that came after 2000, it was the most successful period of Valencia ever. People thought it was normal winning the league and cups. It is unusual. To be fair that was successful for a club like this.

‘From the beginning there were questions even though he finished third, the club waited until the last game to renew his contract. Success is not just to win. There is a massive and great definition of success I love that is have peace of mind getting the best from the resources you have got.’

(Valencia tonight) ‘It is going to be difficult for them because they have to approach the game in a way they are not used to. They are a team so comfortable two lines of four and defending deep, playing in the break. Playing on the break they are up there with Liverpool for me. They struggle (in possession) and they will have to defend deep.’

(Parejo/Coquelin) ‘What a level of player Parejo is. He was questioned as well but for me he has the level of Barcelona. Great talent, great composure on the ball. He is a key player. If Parejo is not in the game, Valencia have problems.

‘This is a crowd that is really demanding and doesn’t allow you any mistakes. Behind you when you need them. If they go down an early goal.’

(AFC weaknesses) ‘Valencia are great, they play the two strikers close together. One down the middle and one in wide areas. Behind the full-backs is the area Valencia will try to play today. Unai (Emery) has changed. He is a manager that thinks, not too much, but that the team has to be ready to play in anyway. He’s the guy that prepares the game really well. He is passionate about the game… sometimes too much!’







‘We are going to play the second leg and it is 50-50 because they are going to play with the supporters, a big atmosphere.

‘We want to play matches with this atmosphere and they were a good team. Also, we are a good team also and can fight both for the second leg, 90 minutes, with a confidence knowing it will be very difficult. Knowing how to play in key moments and emotion in a match like today.’

(Away goal key?) ‘It depends, if they score also it is not the first target for us. The first for us is to defend.’


Valencia’s odds of stunning Arsenal and qualifying for the Europa League final have shortened today as punters believe there is still plenty of hope for the La Liga side, according to bookmaker SportNation.bet.

The Spanish side are only 5/2 to reach the final in Baku despite last weeks 3-1 defeat at the Emirates having started the week at 9/2, showing the betting public’s lack of faith in Arsenal’s woeful away record as the game drew nearer.

The Gunners are understandable 4/13 favourites to qualify – but the stats fall in Valencia’s favour as they are on an eight-game Europa League winning home run at the Mestalla Stadium, scoring 2.75 goals on average while conceding just 0.38.

The La Liga outfit are also odds-on favourites at 10/11 to win the game on the night and 4/7 favourites to score the first goal – they will be feeling confident against Arsenal’s leaky defence after scoring six at the weekend and knowing Unai Emery’s have lost their last two away trips, conceding three goals on both occasions and scoring just once.

That is perhaps why there is only one Arsenal player, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (11/5 joint fav with Kevin Gameiro), backed as one of the five most likely players to score first tonight – suggesting a Valencia onslaught from the first whistle. 






Spectacular reception for the teams arriving at the Mestalla with thousands of Valencia fans packed onto the streets around the stadium with flares and fire crackers and smoke bombs, whirling their scarves and bouncing and hailing their teams.

They are inspired by the miracles of the Champions League. Arsenal followed to whistles and jeers. Former Valencia boss Unai Emery was first off the coach to boos from the home fans.






FIRST LEG MATCH REPORT: Alexandre Lacazette had two, but should have had four. So Arsenal won the tie, but cannot yet start planning for the final in Baku. Not quite.

The goal in the final minute of normal time for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang changed the complexion somewhat, but can Arsenal be trusted not to concede twice in Spain? It isn’t exactly one to sling the mortgage on.

So it was a good win, but not one that will be impossible to overturn if Arsenal defend like this again. They will need to be tighter in Spain, and sharper in front of goal, too. They have the beating of this Valencia team, but cannot afford to be sloppy.

READ FULL REPORT HERE


Good evening and welcome to Sportsmail’s live coverage of the Europa League semi-final second leg between Valencia and Arsenal.

The past 48 hours have seen two memorable comebacks from English sides in Europe but will Arsenal be able to hold onto their 3-1 lead in Spain and reach the final in Baku later this month.

Stick with us throughout the evening for the latest action on what promises to be a memorable night at the Mestalla.

 

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