Their success came after Liverpool pulled off an astonishing 4-3 aggregate win against Barcelona and Tottenham Hotspur beat Ajax Amsterdam on the away goals rule to set up an all-English Champions League final in Madrid on June 1. Chelsea and Arsenal enjoyed plain sailing through their respective Europa League groups with both teams collecting 16 points from a possible 18, albeit against unfancied rivals. Arsenal were made to work hard for a 4-3 aggregate win over Stade Rennes in the round of 16 after losing the first leg in France 3-1, before a sound 3-0 overall rout of Napoli in the quarter-finals traced the path to a 7-3 drubbing of Valencia. The Blues and their under-fire manager Maurizio Sarri can now end the season on a high after securing a top-four finish in the Premier League, and Champions League football next season, with a match to spare. Arsenal, in contrast, have only a mathematical chance of finishing in the top four in the Premier League and their hopes of reaching next season's Champions League almost certainly depends on them winning Europe's second tier competition.

Source: bd News24 May 09, 2019 22:07 UTC