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Petr Cech believes that Arsenal are ready to relish the high stakes in Wednesday’s Europa League final against his former club Chelsea. The Arsenal goalkeeper will bring the curtain down on his illustrious career this summer. The Gunners must beat Chelsea in Baku to qualify for next season’s Champions League, which ramps up the pressure…

Eden Hazard is so talented he often ends up “bored” in Chelsea training, according to Maurizio Sarri. Hazard is hunting a fairy tale Chelsea farewell when the Blues face Arsenal in Wednesday’s Europa League final in Baku. The Belgium talisman fired home the winning penalty in the semi-final against Eintracht Frankfurt with his last act…

Maurizio Sarri has admitted the result could determine whether the Europa League final becomes the most pivotal match of his managerial career. Taskmaster Italian coach Sarri will lead Chelsea into Wednesday’s second-tier European final against Arsenal in Baku with his Stamford Bridge future still in doubt. The former Napoli coach pledged to ignore rumours linking…

Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante is 50-50 to take on Arsenal in the Europa League final on Wednesday night, head coach Maurizio Sarri has revealed. The France international has missed his side’s last two matches with a knee injury and may be unable to play in Baku. Sarri said: “Very little problem with his knee. The…

Unai Emery cannot understand how anyone could question “gentleman” Petr Cech’s integrity as the retiring Arsenal goalkeeper prepares to face former club Chelsea in the Europa League final. The 37-year-old will bring the curtain down on his illustrious playing career in Wednesday’s showpiece in Baku, where the goalkeeper could scarcely have wished for a more…

Arsenal have vowed to win the Europa League final in honour of absent team-mate Henrikh Mkhitaryan. Forward Mkhitaryan chose not to travel to Baku for Wednesday’s clash with Chelsea, fearing for his safety due to his native Armenia’s long-standing conflicts with Azerbaijan. Although the Azerbaijan FA insisted it would be safe for Mkhitaryan in Baku,…

Dean Smith insists he is ready to complete his “impossible dream” and guide Aston Villa to the Premier League. The 48-year-old is on the brink of the top flight ahead of Monday’s Sky Bet Championship play-off final with Derby. Smith started his managerial career as caretaker boss at Walsall in January 2011 when the Saddlers…

Aston Villa midfielder Glenn Whelan believes winning promotion to the Premier League could hold the key to Jack Grealish staying at Villa Park. Grealish, born in Birmingham and a Villa fan, has been heavily linked with a move away from his boyhood club since they were relegated from the top flight in 2017. Tottenham failed…

Frank Lampard has compared Derby’s play-off final showdown to Chelsea’s crucial Champions League qualification which changed the course of the club’s future. The Rams play Aston Villa in Monday’s Sky Bet Championship play-off final, which is worth an estimated £170million. In 2003, Lampard’s Chelsea faced Liverpool at Stamford Bridge, with the game labelled ‘the £20million…

Shkodran Mustafi believes Wednesday’s Europa League final between Arsenal and Chelsea will be won and lost in defence. The showpiece in Baku between the two Premier League contenders will feature some of Europe’s finest attacking talents as Eden Hazard, Pedro, Mesut Ozil and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang compete to win a major trophy – and in Arsenal’s…