Arsenal vs CSKA Moscow: TV channel, live stream, squad news & preview
The Premier League side welcome Russian opposition to north London as they attempt to keep their continental dream alive
Arsenal welcome CSKA Moscow to the Emirates Stadium on Thursday for the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final tie.
The Gunners’ hopes of making next season’s Champions League rely on winning this competition and they have shifted their focus on the upcoming game as a result.
Having overcome AC Milan in the last 16 they will hope to set one foot in the semi-finals by securing a lead over their Russian opponents in the home leg.
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CSKA Moscow, meanwhile, booked their place in the quarter-finals with a hard-earned win over Lyon and they represent a stern challenge for the Premier League side.
TV Channel, Live Stream & How To Watch
In the United States (US), the game can be watched live and on-demand with fuboTV (7-day free trial).
New users can sign up for a free seven-day trial of the live sports streaming service, which can be accessed via iOS, Android, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, Roku and Apple TV as well as on a web browser.
In the United Kingdom (UK), the game can be watched live on TV on BT Sport 2 and it can be streamed live online using the BT Sport app.
Squads & Team News
The Gunners were boosted by the return to fitness of Alexandre Lacazette at the weekend and, other than Santi Cazorla, there is a full squad to choose from.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is ineligible to play in the competition for Arsenal.
Potential Arsenal starting XI: Ospina; Mustafi, Koscielny, Monreal, Kolasinac, Bellerin; Xhaka, Wilshere, Ozil; Lacazette, Welbeck.
Defender Kiril Nababkin will miss the game due to suspension, while Viktor Vasin suffered a season-ending knee injury and will not be involved.
Mario Fernandes and Astemir Gordyushenko are doubts for the game.
Potential CSKA Moscow starting XI: Akinfeev; A. Berezutski, Ignasevich, V. Berezutski; Wernbloom, Nababkin, Kuchaev, Golovin, Natchko, Dzagoev; Musa.
Betting & Match Odds
Arsenal are 3/10 favourites to win the match according to dabblebet , with CSKA Moscow’s odds rated at 8/1. A draw at the Emirates is a 15/4 bet.
Click here to see all of dabblebet’s offers for the game, including goalscoring markets, correct score predictions and more.
Match Preview
Since Arsenal’s hopes of securing a top-four Premier League finish are in tatters, an atmosphere of apathy appears to have descended upon the Emirates, something that is encapsulated by the dwindling attendances at the north London venue.
However, despite the poor domestic performance, the Gunners’ season is not yet a complete write-off and they can salvage the wreckage by winning the Europa League, just as Manchester United did in 2017.
And, even though the fans’ frustrations are abundantly evident, Arsene Wenger is confident that they will come out in force for the game against CSKA Moscow, particularly with so much at stake for the club.
“I’m always concerned when our stadium is not completely full,” Wenger told reporters. “But I don’t think that will be a problem [on Thursday]. Our concern is the performance and the crowd will be behind us. I think when something is at stake the crowd is always behind us.”
With four straight wins under their belts coming into the game and a comfortable 3-0 win over Stoke City in their last outing, the hosts will be eager to carry that form into Thursday and lay down a marker for the remainder of the tournament.