FC Arsenal only with a draw in EL
Man United break free after 7-0 debacle
03/09/2023, 11:15 p.m
Arsenal FC marches confidently through the Premier League, but in the Europa League the club stumbles over Sporting Lisbon. League rivals Manchester United, who urgently need a win after the swatter against Liverpool, are doing better. AS Roma can also celebrate.
Confidently at the top of the Premier League, struggling in Europe: Arsenal FC have stumbled on their way to their first international title in 29 years. The Londoners drew 2-2 (1-1) in the first leg of the Europa League at Sporting Lisbon and will have to be more effective in the second leg on March 16.
William Saliba (22′) and an own goal by Hidemasa Morita (62′) still brought Arsenal a draw, which left a number of chances. I also showed Sporting, who had been relegated to the Champions League, to be strong and dangerous. Goncalo Inacio (34′) and Paulinho (55′) scored for the Portuguese.
Arsenal are heading for their first Premier League title since 2004 in England. The last triumph on the international stage is even longer: in 1994 the Gunners won the European Cup Winners’ Cup.
Mourinho’s team is struggling
League rivals Manchester United, on the other hand, have set an international sign of respect four days after the 7-0 debacle at Liverpool FC and have the best chances for the next round. The Red Devils won against Betis Sevilla 4-1 (1-1). Goals from Marcus Rashford (6th minute), Antony (52nd), Bruno Fernandes (58th) and Wout Weghorst (82nd) gave the Premier League third-placed team the best chance of reaching the quarter-finals. A week before the second leg in Spain, Ayoze Perez’s goal (52′) was not enough for Sevilla to put coach Erik ten Hag’s team under pressure. Manchester had knocked out Spain’s champions FC Barcelona in the previous playoffs.
FC Sevilla, record winners in the UEFA Cup and Europa League, also scored a favorite win, beating Fenerbahce Istanbul 2-0 (0-0) in their own stadium. AS Roma also won their first leg against Real Sociedad San Sebastian 2-0 (1-0), although star coach José Mourinho’s team struggled for a long time. The Ukrainian representative Shakhtar Donetsk and Feyenoord Rotterdam parted in Warsaw 1: 1 (0: 0).