Europa League

ROMA’S Europa League win over Ludogorets was marred by a horror challenge on midfielder Nicola Zalewski.The 20-year-old Roma star had his face and neck horrendously stamped on by Ludogorets defender Olivier Verdon.
Nicola Zalewski had his neck stamped on by Olivier VerdonCredit: BT SPORT
Verdon was sent off after a VAR checkCredit: Reuters
Warning: Don’t watch if squeamish! 🤢Olivier Verdon saw a red card in the 90th minute against AS Roma following this incident in the penalty area… 😬#UEL pic.twitter.com/p6FTh428kj— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) November 3, 2022

The incident happened late in the game between Jose Mourinho’s side and the Bulgarian outfit.
As Zalewski marked Verdon at a free-kick, the Roma man lost his footing and fell to the ground.
But as Verdon stepped over him, he stamped down horrifically on Zalewski’s neck.
His studs dug into the Roma man, leaving him in a dazed heap on the floor.
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It’s unclear whether it was by accident or on purpose, but Verdon pleaded his innocence after being sent off.
Referee Nikola Dabanovic initially waved play on before being told by VAR to check the pitch side monitor.
He quickly overturned his original decision after seeing the shocking replay and gave Verdon his marching orders.
Fortunately Zalewski, who came on as a sub for ex-Manchester United ace Nemanja Matic, managed to soldier on for the rest of the game.
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Mourinho’s side ran out 3-1 winners thanks to two penalties from Lorenzo Pellegrini and a Nicolo Zaniolo strike.
But they were forced to come from behind after Brazilian striker Rick out Ludogorets ahead just before the break.
The result saw Roma finish second in Europa League Group C, above Ludogorets, and behind Real Betis.
They now face a play-off for a place in the Last 16 against one of the sides to have dropped down from the Champions League.
Jose Mourinho’s side finished second in their Europa League groupCredit: EPA More

SO MUCH for the Thursday/Sunday grind – Arsenal are making it look easy.Well, not as easy as it would be if they could put away more of the chances they create in the Europa League.
Mikel Arteta has overseen eight wins in the last ten gamesCredit: Getty
The Gunners were able to rest a number of stars with Mohamed Elneny enjoying a rare startCredit: Reuters
Takehiro Tomiyasu’s injury was the only negative noteCredit: Reuters
For Mikel Arteta this was mission accomplished, getting the result his team needed to avoid a play-off tie despite fielding only four of his first 11.
And who knows how important it will be NOT to have two extra games in February, potentially against very high calibre opponents such as Juventus and Barcelona, as the Gunners try to maintain a title challenge?
This being Arsenal, of course they had made it a bit more interesting by losing in Eindhoven a week earlier and so sending Group A into a last-night battle for top spot and automatic qualification for the last 16.
And it took a tight offside call to deny Zurich a second-half equaliser, before some nervous moments in five minutes of stoppage time.
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But the Arsenal bandwagon rolls on.
Despite the Swiss side’s limitations, there was plenty to admire.
The way Arsenal are able to produce the required level of performance despite significant changes in personnel suggests Arteta really has bedded in a way of playing and a culture.
Apart from one early deflected effort that had Aaron Ramsdale scrambling a bit to save, the Gunners’ defence kept the visitors at arm’s length in the first half.
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In the second they were untroubled until the 68th minute when Ramsdale made a good stop but was arguably lucky to see the follow-up ruled out for offside.
Granit Xhaka was absent through suspension, but Arteta still had enough confidence in Mohamed Elneny and Albert Sambi Lokonga to leave Partey on the bench for more than an hour. And they did not let him down.
Up front, the same lack of clinical finishing and/or final ball that had restricted Arsenal to a 1-0 home win over PSV was apparent. But at least they were causing problems and creating chances, staying true to their front-foot philosophy.
Some home fans – and Gareth Southgate – will have been nervous to see Bukayo Saka come on against such physical opponents after he had left the field injured inside half an hour at the weekend.
But Saka and fellow substitutes Partey and Martin Odegaard came through unscathed – although Takehiro Tomiyasu did have to go off again after replacing Ben White.
That minor worry aside, Arsenal should go into Sunday’s big game at Chelsea with a good level of energy and confidence.
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Europe’s second-tier competition seems to have been more of a help than a hindrance to the momentum that the Gunners are building.
Which is another feather in Arteta’s cap. More

There may be no rest for the wicked but even Jesus doesn’t get a night off at the Emirates these days. Gabriel Jesus might have played in all but one of Arsenal’s games this season but still has to answer the call of duty every three days.
Kieran Tierney lashed home the winner in the first halfCredit: Getty
Mikel Arteta’s side sealed their route into the last 16 of the Europa LeagueCredit: Reuters
News of the £45million striker’s inclusion in Mikel Arteta’s starting line-up inevitably went down like a s*** sandwich with the Emirates fans who couldn’t understand why he wasn’t being wrapped in cotton wool for Sunday’s Premier League trip to Chelsea.
In the absence of captain Martin Odegaard and the suspended Granit Xhaka, at least he got to wear the armband for the first time.
He still wasn’t able to end a goal drought which has now stretched to eight games after starting his Arsenal career like a house on fire.
But he couldn’t be denied the satisfaction of leading his team-mates to the victory which guaranteed top spot in their group.
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And more importantly it means they will now sit out the round of 32 when the likes of Barcelona, Juventus, Ajax and Sevilla will be dropping into the competition from the Champions League.
Arteta’s problem is convincing the sceptical supporters that the Europa League is a competition actually worth pursuing while all the talk centres around their surprise title challenge.
So he was  understandably anxious to put this game to bed as quickly as possible so he could sub off his senior stars with Sunday’s game in mind.
He got his wish for an early breakthrough in the 17th minute when Kieran Tierney hammered an unstoppable shot into the far corner from the edge of the area after Fabio Vieira’s initial shot had been charged down.
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That was the Scotland star’s first goal of what has so far been a frustrating season, so it was little surprise that he celebrated it like a mad thing.
They should have been further ahead in the 31st minute when Eddie Nketiah was blatantly pulled back by his shirt in the area by Lindrit Kamberi.
But referee Erik Lambrechts did not even refer the incident to VAR before Vieira’s follow-up shot was inadvertently blocked by Jesus in an offside position.
Nketiah had already tested the reflexes of keeper Yanick Brecher with a fierce shot from the edge of the area and was denied again when his powerful near post header drew another sharp save from the Zurich captain.
Considering that their team are currently bottom of the Swiss League and not even good enough to qualify for the Europa Conference League, the visiting supporters were remarkably chipper last night.
Arsenal stars celebrated their achievementCredit: Reuters
But Tierney ended up with a hole in his shirt later in the nightCredit: AFP
FC Zurich fans let off flares during the gameCredit: AFP
Despite his impressive performances it is now eight without a goal for Gabriel JesusCredit: Reuters
A thick smog of blue smoke shrouded the stadium after dozens of blue flares were released from the away end in direct contravention of yesterday’s edict prohibiting the use of pyrotechnics.
But all the fireworks were coming from Arsenal as they pushed on in search of a killer second goal.
It should have arrived two minutes after the half-time break when Tierney’s free-kick dropped to Jesus right in front of goal.
But even though his shot brushed the arm of Brecher it was clearly going well over anyway.
It was to prove his last contribution to a disappointing night for the Brazilian before being replaced by Bukayo Saka for the final half hour.
Yet his departure only seemed to galvanise Zurich, who thought they had levelled in the 67th minute until Adrian Guerrero’s effort was ruled out for offside.
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And with news of PSV Eindhoven winning away to Bodo/Glimt, Arsenal’s place at the top of Group A suddenly didn’t look quite so secure.
They just about hung on for the victory but the way Arteta’s weary players are struggling to keep their foot on the gas for 90 minutes suggests that it’s not only Jesus who needs a breather. More