Europa League’s big brother gives added edge to Arsenal v Chelsea final

Unai Emery’s team are under no illusions about the perils of missing out on Champions League qualification if they fail to beat already qualified Chelsea in Baku

For all the Europa League branding embossed over Baku’s Olympic Stadium, European football’s little brother could not quite escape the influence of its big brother. If there is one thing that adds an extra edge, an extra layer of intrigue, to this oddity of a London derby taking place roughly 2,500 miles from Big Ben it is that there is more than a trophy at stake. Arsenal desperately crave the return to the Champions League that triumph would bring in this final. Chelsea can deny them that, knowing how damaging it would be to a rival if they get to hoist the silverware.

Everything changed for the Europa League the moment Uefa decided to varnish the competition with the gloss of Champions League qualification. Unai Emery attempted to suggest there was nothing between the teams in terms of motivation, desire and the size of the prize, but the truth is the stakes are incomparable.

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from The Guardian http://bit.ly/2Xb0IwF

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