What has happened with Mkhitaryan could effect Arsenal in two ways. It could make them even more determined to win the trophy for him or, it could put them in a bad mood and not want to be there. I reckon it will be the former. Mkhitaryan may not have started the final, but he definitely would have been an option from the bench. Him not being there is an added incentive to the Arsenal players. They also know that winning the Europa League gives them Champions League qualification, something Arsenal did not achieve through the conventional league route where as Chelsea did, finishing 3rd.
Chelsea's build up to the final has been chaotic. Ruben Loftus-Cheek got injured in a charity game ruling him out of contention but things reached boiling point yesterday. Maurizio Sarri lost his temper in training quite shockingly. Apparently it was down to media coverage as he wanted to practice wide free kicks without giving tactics away to Arsenal but I find this hard to believe as Sarri would already have known that the media would be broadcasting training. David Luiz and Gonzalo Higuain had a heated exchange during training which could be the reason for Sarri's outburst.
If one man is to be the difference tonight, it will be Chelsea's Eden Hazard. The Belgian is a Chelsea legend and has that little bit of extra quality that no one else possesses. Rumours suggest Hazard is on his way to Real Madrid - £115 million - so he will want to sign off on his Chelsea career with some silverware. Arsenal will have to hope their duo of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette are on top form to beat Chelsea. The pair have a combined 50 goals this season in all competitions and are two of the best strikers in the world.
The finest of margins decide European finals.
VERDICT - Arsenal
The whole situation with Mkhitaryan and the treatment of Arsenal fans in Baku can only spur Arsenal on to win. Champions League qualification is another huge factor for them which would make Unai Emery's first season in charge a successful one. There seems to be too many problems at Chelsea in regards to Sarri's future that they players are unsettled and not focused on the task at hand.
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