Will the poor league results affect all four Europa league semi-finalists?
This is a big week in European football for the teams that are still left yet for the four Europa League semi-finalists, they all go into the games with poor results and momentum.
Roma lost 3-2 to Cagliari
Villarreal lost 2-1 to Barcelona
Manchester United drew 0-0 with Leeds
So, all teams will surely be looking to bounce back in the first leg of one of their key and biggest games of the season to date and for some winning the EL will be the only way into European football next season.
Roma’s loss now leaves them seventh in Serie A, three points behind sixth placed Lazio who have played two games less and any means of European football no longer rests in their hands.
Villareal also had a big game over the weekend and they too sit seventh in La Liga, one point behind fifth and sixth placed Real Sociedad (who have played a game less) and Real Betis who have played an equal number of games.
The race for top four seems out of reach for Villareal though as they are 20 points behind fourth placed Sevilla, so if they are beaten by Arsenal their only hopes of getting European football next season is by winning their remaining games and praying for a demise from the two teams above them, with five games to go.
Things looks a little better for Manchester United who have all but cemented a European place next season either way. They sit comfortable in second in the Premier League, eight points clear of third placed Leicester with five games to go, and 12 points ahead of West Ham in fifth.
So for United the worst they could get is Europa League via the league, if they do not get to the final and win.
However things are not so straightforward for Arsenal, who sit 10th in the PL nine points behind West Ham in fifth.
Reaching fifth seems all but a dream for us now so our only hope is overcoming Villarreal in the semis, and then either Roma or United in the final to get back into the Champions League.
There’s no doubt that all four teams will be fired up and raring to go after disappointing league results over the weekend.
For Arsenal and Roma, away goals will be key this week, while not conceding is also important, they need to score as many as they can to give themselves a platform in the first leg.
Now we won the FA Cup last season to get us in to Europe, so all we need to do is pass this tiny task of winning the Europa League to get us back into the Champions League and then all will be forgiven and forgotten! Right?
Shenel Osman