EUROPA League
AFTER EUROPA LEAGUE EXIT, MIKEL ARTETA IS CLOSE TO ARSENAL’S EXIT GATE
The clock is ticking on Mikel Arteta – but time has not run out.
Arsenal will stick with Arteta into next season despite failing to get into Europe and being on course for their worst Premier League finish since 1995.
Whether that proves to be the right decision only time will tell but the club is determined to rebuild this summer, give Arteta time and patience and better players.
The bigger worry for Arsenal fans is whether Arteta will prove to be the right man and that is the challenge facing a rookie manager in his first job.
Serious questions are being asked of Arteta for the first time and it would be wrong to say there are also not doubts in the dressing room about the 39-year-old Spaniard.
Arteta can be regarded as arrogant, will not admit to being wrong and completely lacking in humility. Maybe you need that unshakeable belief as a manager. You also probably need experience and years to develop life skills to become a good man manager.
But as someone with great knowledge of both Arteta and Arsene Wenger pointed out, the ability to be self effacing, self critical and to be able to laugh at yourself is a “critical quality.” Wenger had it, Arteta doesn’t.
Arteta has a reputation as a brilliant coach, he learned under Pep Guardiola and his time at Manchester City meant he arrived in December 2019 as a hot property and a popular choice to succeed Unai Emery.
He was also a former Arsenal captain, had an instant connection with the fans and, in winning the FA Cup in his first season, there was huge optimism even though everyone accepted it might take time and a few transfer windows to get the club back to where they belong.
Now, just 18 months into his reign, the fans are getting restless and that is understandable because, while no-one expected them to become champions overnight, the very least you expect is some tangible signs of progress.
Yet this season they have gone backwards. Back in 1995, they finished 12th, it seems they have flatlined in mid-table and the defeat to Villarreal was a lame surrender when they needed to summon one big performance to save their season.
The real worry was that the players did not look as if they were busting a gut for the manager. Even bigger was that Arteta was outfoxed by Emery and that is arguably the most damning aspect of all.
Are they right to stick with him? The simple answer is yes. Questions need to be asked. But they cannot carry on changing the manager because where would they go next?
Arsenal need to rebuild the squad. And stop doing bad deals. Selling Emiliano Martinez to Aston Villa was a shocker and record £72m record signing Nicolas Pepe has not delivered. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s mega three year contract does not look so clever anymore.
You cannot criticise the owners for a lack of investment. They have broken the transfer record year after year. Dug deep to buy Thomas Partey for £45m on last summer’s deadline day. So the bigger question must be is the right structure in place.
Technical director Edu should be under the spotlight as there is a feeling this summer will be vital. They will need to offload to free space in the squad and also from the wage bill. Hector Bellerin could be the first in a big name exodus.
-Mirror
Four-times Europa League winner Unai Emery booked an astonishing sixth final in the competition as a manager on Thursday when his Aston Villa team swept aside Nottingham Forest in the second leg of their all-English semi-final.
The 54-year-old Spaniard has won three times with Sevilla (2014, 2015, 2016) and once with Villarreal (2021) – either side of a defeat with Arsenal (2019) – deservedly earning him the epithet “Mr Europa League” from some fans and media.
Now he goes to the 2026 final seeking a fifth title, this time with Aston Villa against Bundesliga side Freiburg.
“His track record speaks for itself,” said Villa striker Ollie Watkins, heaping praise on his boss as the man to guarantee Europa League success. “We need to go and win it now.”
Emery was delighted with how his team overturned a 1-0 deficit to Forest in the first leg of the Europa League semi-final to score four times at home and win 4-1 on aggregate.
“Now we have to look to the final,” he said, hoping that Villa will do “something fantastic” for their fans.
Though thrilled at Thursday’s win, Emery left the pitch quickly after the final whistle, pumping his fist a few times at the crowd before letting his players enjoy the moment with fans
He and his Villa side will be favourites at the Europa League final in Istanbul on May 20, but Emery was taking nothing for granted. “Of course German teams are so difficult, their coaches, their players are so good,” he added of the upcoming opponents.
-Reuters
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
List of teams which have qualified for the next round of the Europa League after the league phase concluded on Thursday, ranked by table position:
Directly to the round of 16:
1. Olympique Lyonnais (France)
2. Aston Villa (England)
3. Midtjylland (Denmark)
4. Real Betis (Spain)
5. Porto (Portugal)
6. Braga (Portugal)
7. Freiburg (Germany)
8. AS Roma (Italy)
Knockout phase play-off places (seeded)
9. Genk (Belgium)
10. Bologna (Italy)
11. VfB Stuttgart (Germany)
12. Ferencvaros (Hungary)
13. Nottingham Forest (England)
14. Viktoria Plzen (Czech Republic)
15. Red Star Belgrade (Serbia)
16. Celta Vigo (Spain)
Knockout phase play-off places (unseeded)
17. PAOK (Greece)
18. Lille (France)
19. Fenerbahce (Turkey)
20. Panathinaikos (Greece)
21. Celtic (Scotland)
22. Ludogorets (Bulgaria)
23. Dinamo Zagreb (Croatia)
24. SK Brann (Norway)
-Reuters
UEFA Europa League – Aston Villa v RB Salzburg – Villa Park, Birmingham, Britain – January 29, 2026 Aston
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv will not accept any away fan tickets for their Europa League match at Aston Villa next month, even if local authorities reverse the decision to ban their supporters, they said on Monday.
The ban followed safety concerns raised by British Police, who cited potential protests outside Villa Park, following demonstrations at Israel’s recent World Cup qualifiers in Oslo and Udine.
“From hard lessons learned we have taken the decision to decline any allocation offered on behalf of away fans and our decision should be understood in that context,” Maccabi said in a statement.
“We hope that circumstances will change and look forward to being able to play in Birmingham in a sporting environment in the near future.”
Aston Villa announced the decision last week, saying they were following instructions from the Safety Advisory Group (SAG), who are responsible for issuing safety certificates for games at Villa Park.
West Midlands Police described the match as high risk, past incidents, including violent confrontations and hate crime offences involving Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters ahead of a November 2024 game in Amsterdam.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar described the announcement as “shameful”.
Villa are third in the Europa League standings while Maccabi Tel Aviv are 30th after two rounds.
-Reuters
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
Tunisia Turn to Renard for Revival
Iran’s 2-2 Draw With New Zealand Means Asians Remain Unbeaten at World Cup 2026
Iran’s World Cup Match Marked by Political Divisions Among Fans in Los Angeles
Breaking! Uzoho suspended from Super Eagles’ next match with Sierra Leone
No longer Super League as CAF changes name of its new clubs competition
NIGERIAN FOOTBALL CHIEF EXECUTIVE, SANUSI CHARGES NIGERIAN COACHES TO BE UPRIGHT, DILIGENT
- International Football1 week ago
Eriksen Suffers Fresh Collapse During Denmark Friendly, Reviving Memories of Euro 2020 Ordeal
- World Cup1 week ago
Pelé’s 1970 World Cup Hideaway Becomes Tourist Attraction as Mexico Hosts Tournament for Record Third Time
- World Cup1 week ago
Strike Threat Looms Over USA-Paraguay World Cup Match at SoFi Stadium
- World Cup1 week ago
Iran’s World Cup team arrive in Tijuana with US tensions high
- International Football1 week ago
Iwobi Salutes Nigerians Ahead of Landmark 100th Super Eagles Appearance
- World Cup1 week ago
Nine injured in shooting near England’s World Cup base camp
- WAFCON1 week ago
Falcons Truly Super in 3-0 Defeat of Senegal in Ikenne
- World Cup20 hours ago
Back in Canada After 39 Years: A Return to Where the Journey Began