CSKA Moscow vs Arsenal. UEFA Europa League Quarter Final.
Arena CSKAAttendance29,284.
3-6
Thursday 12 April 2018 20:29, UK
Arsene Wenger has warned against complacency as Arsenal take a 4-1 lead into the second leg of their Europa League quarter-final with CSKA Moscow.
Alexandre Lacazette and Aaron Ramsey both scored twice at the Emirates Stadium last week as the Gunners gave themselves a commanding advantage ahead of the return tie at the Arena CSKA on Thursday evening (8.05pm kick-off).
But Arsenal boss Wenger says Barcelona's shock Champions League exit at the hands of Roma on Tuesday evening should act as a warning to his players in Russia.
"It can happen in the game, that is why we love football, it is unpredictable," he said.
"In every game, everything is questioned again. It is new every time. We are in a position where I don't think we are under threat of complacency, it is an important target for us to go as far as possible.
"[Roma's comeback] may be a warning for us but let us not go overboard as well. Yes, we have a big job to do but we are in a strong position and it is how we approach the game that will be vital tomorrow."
Experienced CSKA defender Aleksei Berezutski admits the Russians need their own "miracle" to turn things around against Arsenal.
"Roma played a magnificent match and made a miracle," the 35-year-old said. "We don't have a lot of chances to repeat the same miracle, but sometimes miracles happen in football.
"Of course Arsenal are extremely motivated because winning the Europa League is the way into the Champions League, so this is their motivation."
Midfielder Granit Xhaka has been left at home as he is suffering from flu.
David Ospina (ankle), Henrikh Mkhitaryan (knee) and Santi Cazorla (Achilles) are also missing while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is cup-tied.
Arsenal are aiming to reach their first European semi-final since 2008/09, when they faced Manchester United in the Champions League after eliminating Villarreal in the quarter-final.
Only once previously has a team lost a first leg Europa League knockout tie by three goals and progressed to the next round - Valencia against FC Basel at the quarter-final stage in 2013/14 (lost first leg 3-0, won second leg 5-0).
English teams are unbeaten in eight European trips to Moscow (W5 D3) since Aston Villa lost 2-0 to CSKA in the UEFA Cup in February 2009.
The Gunners, however, are winless in three European visits to Russia under Wenger (D1 L2), scoring just one goal across those three matches, all against sides from Moscow (Spartak, Lokomotiv and CSKA).
Lacazette has been involved in 12 goals in his last 11 starts in the Europa League (10 goals, 2 assists), scoring a double in his last two appearances.
CSKA Moscow had a Monday game so they are getting squeezed a bit, whereas Wenger has kept plenty of his best players fresh.
I was very surprised with the amount of changes he made at the weekend, but it obviously shows that Wenger is taking this seriously - not that he has much of an option with the top-four race done and dusted.
I never trust this defence and have no idea who the best defensive partnership are, but Arsenal should have enough to get the job done.
Then hopefully they can avoid Atletico Madrid in the semi-finals. Either way, they need to show character until the end of the season and build momentum because confidence isn't a tap you can just turn on and off.
Charlie predicts: 2-2 and Ramsey to score first (70/1 with Sky Bet)
