Former Arsenal man stars as Chelsea dominate combined Europa League XI

Chelsea and Arsenal will be gunning for glory in tonight’s Europa League final as the last London derby of the season takes place in Baku and it’s a former Arsenal man who stars in the best XI. 

Chelsea dominate the side with seven of the 11 players turning out of the Blues, with the competition’s joint-top scorer in Oliver Giroud (7.46) featuring alongside Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (7.50) on the frontline. Giroud has 10 goals to his name in the Europa League this season, that level with Eintracht Frankfurt’s Luka Jovic, and the Frenchman will hope to add to that against his former employers. Aubameyang, with eight goals, will be keen to close that gap, however.

Another looking to achieve glory against their former club is Petr Cech (6.68), with the Czech goalkeeper hoping to bow out with a Europa League winners’ medal as he gears up for life post-football. The former Chelsea goalkeeper has been Arsenal’s designated cup goalkeeper in Europe this season and he is expected to get the nod ahead of Bernd Leno between the sticks. 

Ainsley Maitland-Niles (7.24) and Granit Xhaka (7.16) make up the Arsenal quota at right-back and central midfield, respectively, while Emerson (7.19) features at left-back. David Luiz (7.11) and Andreas Christensen (6.98) round off the defence, with Sokratis (6.91) the closest challenger at the heart of the defence. 

In the middle of the park, Ruben Loftus-Cheek (7.53) would partner Xhaka had it not been for his Achilles injury sustained in Chelsea’s post-season friendly in America, with Ross Barkley (7.15) joining the Swiss star in midfield. 

Wing pair Willian (7.59) and Eden Hazard (7.34) complete the XI with the former hoping to continue his fine record from starts in Europe’s second club competition having had a direct hand in a goal in nine of his 11 starts in the Europa League. The latter, meanwhile, is tipped to leave Chelsea this summer, and he’ll be looking to possibly end his career with the west London side with another winners’ medal around his neck.