Club Brugge vs Man United
Breydelstadion, Brugge
Thursday, 20-02-2020 @8:55pm
Ref: Aliaksei Kulbakov (Belarus)
Man United dfender Victor Lindelof could be included in United’s starting line-up after recovering from illness to train with the squad on Wednesday. The 25-year-old Swede did not play in Monday’s win at Chelsea. Midfielder Scott McTominay, who has not played since the Boxing Day win over Newcastle having suffered knee ligament damage in the game, also trained but is not part of the squad. The diagnosis on striker Marcus Rashford and midfielder Paul Pogba was not as positive for United fans. Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says January signing Odion Ighalo is in contention to start the first leg of Manchester United’s Europa League last-32 game against Club Bruges on Thursday. The Nigeria striker, 30, made his debut in the 2-0 win over Chelsea last weekend when he came on as substitute.
Club Brugge will have formee Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet in goal. Michael Krmenick arrived from Viktoria Plzen last month and he is expected to start. Clinton Mata and Krepin Diatte are back available for selection after suspension.
Club Brugge are winless in their last 10 meetings with English sides in all competitions (D2 L8) since a 1-0 win against Chelsea in the 1994-95 Cup Winner’s Cup quarter-final. United and Brugge have faced each other twice before, with the Red Devils winning 3-1 away and 4-0 at home in 2015-16 Champions League qualifying. Brugge were eliminated from the Europa League at this stage last season, last progressing from a knockout tie in the competition in 2014-15 (last 16 v Besiktas). United are unbeaten in their last 10 Europa League knockout stage games (W6 D4), since a 2-0 loss at Liverpool in March 2016. Indeed, they won the competition the last time they were in it in 2016-17. United have fielded 32 different players in the Europa League this season, more than any other side. They’ve also had 11 different teenage players play for them in the competition this season, more than double that of any other side.
Olympiakos vs Arsenal
Stadio Georgios Karaiskaki, Piraeus
Thursday, 20-02-2020 @11pm
Ref: Felix Zwayer (Germany)
Arsenal will be without Calum Chambers as the English defender is out with a knee injury. Pablo Mari, the new signing is expected to play while Sead Kolasinac may also feature at left-back, as Tierney is still out. Emiliano Martinez has been their Europa League keeper and may continue to be so, while the likes of Lucas Torreira and Gabriel Martinelli are available for selection.
For Olympiacos, Algerian winger El Arbi Hillal Soudani is the only player to miss out with a knee injury.
None of the eight previous meetings between Olympiakos and Arsenal have finished level, with each side winning four games each including 3/4 home wins for the Greek side. This will be Arsenal’s ninth meeting with Olympiakos – they’ve only ever faced Bayern Munich more often in all European competition (12). Olympiakos have won just one of their last 11 knockout stage matches in major European competition (D4 L6), winning 3-0 at Osmanlispor at this stage of the 2016-17 Europa League. Arsenal have progressed from 11 of their last 12 two-legged knockout ties in the UEFA Cup/Europa League, falling only at the 2017-18 semi-final in this run. Bukayo Saka has been involved in six Europa League goals this season (two goals, four assists), more than any other Arsenal player. Indeed, only three players in the competition as a whole have been involved in more goals than the 18-year-old this term.
The other Europa League
Thursday, 20-02-2020 @8:54
-Sporting CP vs Istanbul BB
-Getafe vs Ajax
-Copenhagen vs Celtic
-CFR Cluj vs Sevilla
-Ludogorates vs Inter Milan
-Frankfurt vs Slazburg
-Shakhter vs Benfica
Thursday, 20-02-2020 @11pm
-Rangers vs Braga
-Wolves vs Espanyol
-Leverkusen vs Porto
-APOEL vs Basel
-AZ Alkmaar vs LASK
-Wolfsburg vs Malmo
-Roma vs Gent
