Football

UEFA's reason for Arsenal's Europa League game with Vitoria being on Wednesday at 3:50pm


Arsenal will look to put their recent Premier League struggles behind them when they return to Europa League action against Vitoria Guimaraes on Wednesday afternoon.

Despite dropping points in their last three league games, Unai Emery’s side are cruising in the European competition and are currently top of Group F after victories in their opening three matches.

They travel to Portugal knowing that another three points will be enough to secure qualification for the knockout stages.

Although Arsenal are usually used to playing their Europa League games on Thursdays, this week they play on Wednesday at the unusually early time of 3.50pm.

Rather than a last-minute change, it is something the North London club were made aware of when the draw for the group stages was made in September.

Arsenal can qualify for the Europa League knockout stages with victory

The reason the game is taking place a day before the other Europa League fixtures is due to the location of the fixture.

Vitoria’s stadium is located just 15 miles away from local rivals Braga, who host Besiktas on Thursday, and Portuguese police have forbidden two teams from the same region playing on the same night because of the strain it puts on their available resources.

In addition to moving the game to Wednesday, the fixture will kick-off at the earlier time of 3.50pm GMT because UEFA have insisted that it doesn’t clash with the eight Champions League games being played on the same evening, the first of which get underway at 5.50pm GMT.

Nicolas Pepe scored a late brace in Arsenal’s first meeting with Vitoria

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One Arsenal player who won’t be in action in Portugal is Granit Xhaka, with Emery confirming that the Swiss midfielder has been stripped of the captaincy after he clashed with Gunners fans during a recent game with Crystal Palace.

Arsenal’s first meeting with winless Vitoria ended with a 3-2 win for the English club last month, but they didn’t have everything their own way.

The Gunners twice fell behind to Ivo Vieira’s side during the first half of the fixture at the Emirates Stadium before Nicolas Pepe provided a late brace to wrap up victory.





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