EUROPA LEAGUE: UNAI EMERY REUNION SEALED

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta will face his predecessor in the next stage of the Europa League after he was able to mastermind the Gunners’ big win at the home of Czech opponents Sparta Prague in what was the second leg of their quarterfinal tie.

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https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EzChZAeXAAIEw1H.jpg

Mikel Arteta and Arsenal will face Unai Emery after the former Gunners manager guided Villarreal into the semis at the expense of Dinamo Zagreb of  Croatia. The Croatian side had produced one of the best Europa League performances in recent times when they defeated Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur 3-0 at the end of extra time to seal a 3-2 aggregate victory after they had lost the first leg 2-0 at the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Dinamo Zagreb came into the quarterfinal tie with Spanish club Villarreal buoyed by their heroics against Spurs but at the end of proceedings, Villarreal proved to be a step too far for the Croatians. The Yellow Submarines won the first leg 1-0 away from home before securing a 2-1 victory at home thereby sealing a 3-1 aggregate win.

That aggregate win over Dinamo Zagreb means that Villarreal manager Emery and his players will take on the Gunners over two legs in the final four of the competition to determine who will feature in the final.

Emery was the Arsenal manager for over a season before he was sacked in the middle of last season. Ex-Arsenal winger Freddie Ljunberg took over from him in an interim capacity before the Gunners hierarchy poached Mikel Arteta from Manchester City. As then, the Spaniard was the assistant to Pep Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium. Spanish coach Arteta would go on to win his first trophy with the FA Cup before he added the Community Shield at the start of this year.