On Thursday evening, Premier League Arsenal travel to Belarus to face BATE Borisov for the first leg of a last 32 tie in the Europa League.
BATE Borisov have already been crowned champions of their domestic league, but a tie against Arsenal offers a much tougher challenge for the home side. The game will even more difficult, as BATE have not played a competitive game since December.
The home side’s recent record in the Europa League is not a great one, as they have won just three of their last eight matches in Europe’s secondary competition. However, the Belarussian champions won their last two group games against VIDI and PAOK to book their place in the knockout stages, in a group that included Chelsea.
BATE’s home record in the competition does not offer much hope of a shock victory, as they have won just two of their last 11 matches on home soil in the Europa League. Their recent home games in the competition have been low scoring, with under 2.5 goals scored in four of their last five games.
Arsenal have experienced mixed form of late in all competitions. The Gunners have been in poor form away from home. However, the team from north London have a good recent record in the Europa League, as Unai Emery’s team won five of their last six games in the group stages.
The Gunners have also not conceded in five outings in the Europa League, a run that they will be confident of continuing in Belarus.
Arsenal have only played ten away games in the Europa League in its current guise, winning seven, drawing one and losing two matches. The team from north London have been prolific on their travels of late in the Europa League, scoring at least two goals in five of their last seven away outings.
Forebet predicts that Arsenal will record a victory in a high scoring encounter to all-but seal their place in the last 16 of the Europa League.