Our prediction for this Europa League match:
Aspmyra Stadion will host Thursday’s football match between Bodo/Glimt and Arsenal. The Gunners outplayed the Norwegian champions 3-0 at Emirates Stadium despite the fact that Mikel Arteta rested several key players. The Spanish tactician should stick to his rotation policy, with all Nkethiah, Vieira, Lokonga, and Tierney pushing for a start. A man to watch in the away team will be Brazil forward Martinelli, who scored the opener in a 3-2 win over Liverpool at the weekend, while both Elneny and Smith Rowe remain in the treatment room.
Bodo, on the other hand, came from behind to crush Sandefjord 4-1 in the national championship, but they will have a mountain to climb in Thursday’s clash. Arsenal are more of a team than Bodo, and we predict that Mikel Arteta’s troops are going to prove their worth on the field. Fet and Vetti should be the only absentees in the home side.
Highlighted Player (Granit Xhaka):
Granit Xhaka is widely regarded as one of Europe’s most talented central midfielders at the moment and he is on the radar of quite a few high-profile sides. Just two seasons at FC Basel proved enough to attract interest from Borussia M’gladbach, who secured his signature in the summer of 2012.
The Switzerland international had a slow start to his career in Germany, causing many pundits to start doubting his credentials, but he eventually turn things around to show he is more than capable of playing at the highest level. Acting as a deep-lying playmaker, Xhaka impressed fans and pundits alike with his performances in Bundesliga and European competitions, and he even managed to score a couple of important goals in the process.
Despite his fragile age, the highly regarded footballer has been a key member of the Switzerland national team for quite some time now, scoring 6 goals in his first 40 caps to establish himself as a real leader of the Rossocrociati. The 2014 World Cup, where he scored one goal in four starts, should prove just the first of many major tournaments to come.
Highlighted Team (Arsenal):
Arsenal are regarded as one of the best English teams. The Gunners have won 12 FA Cup trophies, 13 league titles and two League Cups, but they have yet to lift the Champions League trophy. Arsene Wenger’s team were on the verge of beating Barcelona in the Champions League final back in 2006, but they eventually failed to win the prestigious title.
Arsenal used to play their homes at Highbury, but in 2006 they moved to the Emirates Stadium. The capacity of the stadium is 60,260. The Gunners won their last Premier League trophy back in 2004, with the capital club going through the season without a single loss. The likes of Thierry Henry, Denis Bergkamp and Robert Pires were part of the team back then, but Arsenal have not won the league trophy ever since.
Arsenal was founded by Woolwich munitions workers as Dial Square back in 1886. It is well known that Tottenham Hotspur are Arsenal’s fiercest rivals and there have always been fireworks when the two local rivals meet in the North London derby.