Arsenal vs Olympiacos 28/02/20

28 February 2020

Arsenal and Olympiacos go head-to-head at the Emirates Stadium in the return leg of their UEFA Europa League (EL) last-32 tie, with the visitors hoping to cancel out the hosts’ 1-0 success from the first leg.

For the third year running, the Gunners have sealed the EL knockout stages berth, where their record stands at W11, D2, L5. The hosts have successfully negotiated both of their previous EL last-32 ties, beating Ostersunds 4-2 on aggregate in 2017/18 (3-0A, 1-2H) and BATE Borisov 3-1 on aggregate (0-1A, 3-0H). Arsenal’s overall record in the EL knockout stages is W6, D1, L1. Last year’s EL runners-up had also outplayed Olympiacos in three consecutive European home H2Hs before succumbing to a 3-2 loss in the UEFA Champions League group stage in 2015. Mikel Arteta’s men are probably enjoying the best moments of 2019/20, considering they go into this clash on a ten-game unbeaten run in all competitions (W6, D4), with four of their six wins during that streak yielding a clean sheet.

As for the visitors, the last week’s loss in London marks their only reverse in 14 competitive matches in the new calendar year (W11, D2). Just four of those fixtures during that 14-game sequence saw both teams on the scoresheet, although six produced over 3.5 total match goals. Even though they’ve started their 2019/20 European journey in the UEFA Champions League, the Greek giants failed to live up to expectations in their section, suffering four defeats in six group stage games (W1, L1) only to finish third. All three of their previous European road trips this season have yielded multiple-goal-margin losses and witnessed Olympiacos concede over 1.5 second-half goals.