Villarreal manager, Unai Emery, has praised some of the players he worked with while at Arsenal. The Spaniard is preparing his side to face the Gunners in the Europa League semi-final.
Emery spent 18 months at Arsenal, before being fired in November 2019 and replaced by Mikel Arteta. Having taken over at Villarreal last summer, Emery is bidding to take the club to their first major final at the expense of his former employees.
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He told UEFA: “Saka made his debut on 1 January [2019] against Fulham, which I remember we won 4-1. I think it kicked off at 12:30pm, and he played the last eight to 10 minutes and didn’t touch the ball. Now he’s establishing himself at a high level.
“Many of the players I coached are still there. I have fond memories of them: Hector Bellerin, Chambers, Holding: exceptional guys; Elneny, who is an extraordinary player and an extraordinary person.
“They have Lacazette, Aubameyang, Martinelli, who is becoming more important now after a serious injury. Pepe is also an important player, who I think is settling and getting more and more confident.
“Then you have the younger players such as Smith Rowe. Smith Rowe played the pre-season with us at the age of 17, and he has gradually grown after loan spells away.
“You also have Leno, who is a great goalkeeper and good with his feet. He has significant experience.”
Meanwhile, Former Chelsea player, Chris Sutton, has handed Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta, players’ names to use when they tackle Villarreal in tonight’s Europa League.
Arsenal will face Villarreal in the Europa League semi-final first-leg tie at the Estadio de la Cerámica.
The Gunners had eliminated Slavia Praha from the Europa League quarter-final earlier this month, while Villarreal knocked Dinamo Zagreb out of the competition.
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But Sutton wants Arteta to feature Gabriel Martinelli in the centre-forward position, Nicolas Pepe on the left, Emile Smith Rowe at No 10, and Bukayo Saka on the right against Unai Emery’s side.
“There is space to exploit behind this Villarreal backline,” Sutton told the Daily Mail.
“A ball over the top and a curved run from Antoine Griezmann was how Barcelona equalised against them in LaLiga last week. That is a job made for Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli.
“Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang are struggling to be fit for this semi-final first leg, so I would like to see the 19-year-old Brazilian in the centre forward position.
“Behind Martinelli, I’d use the improving Nicolas Pepe on the left, the exciting Emile Smith Rowe at No. 10, and the lively Bukayo Saka on the right.
“These kids have bailed out their boss more than once this season. They can do it again on Thursday night.”
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