Who are the sides in Arsenal's Europa League group?

Arsenal V PSV

Who are the sides in Arsenal's Europa League group? 

By Jack Lacey-Hatton

After coming so close to a UEFA Champions League return at the end of last season, Arsenal have had to settle for a spot in Europe’s secondary competition this time around.

Thursday night football may often be the source of ridicule for rival fans, but in truth, the competition is not to be sniffed at.

The Europa League not only offers Mikel Arteta a chance to lift some silverware for the second time in his fledgling managerial career.

Crucially it presents a direct route to Europe’s elite with the winners guaranteed a berth in the 2022-23 Champions League.

Arsenal’s road to a potential final in Budapest’s Puskas Arena starts on Thursday in Group A.

Here is the lowdown on the other three sides.

 

PSV Eindhoven

A stalwart in the heyday of European football, Dutch side PSV Eindhoven have serious continental pedigree.

Unlike Arsenal, they have previously lifted the European Cup, winning the 1988 final on penalties against Portuguese side Benfica in the club’s finest hour.

They also have previous when it comes to the Europa League, winning the tournament back in 1978 back under its previous guise of the UEFA Cup.

Eredivisie champions on 24 occasions, most recently in 2017-18, they are one of the most successful and famous clubs from the Netherlands.

Nowadays they are managed by former Manchester United and PSV forward Ruud van Nistelrooy, someone who had his fair share of history with the Arsenal back in the early-2000s. If only Martin Keown was on the Arsenal coaching staff.

Finishing second in the league last season, PSV had the chance to reach the UEFA Champions League group stage last month, but were knocked out in the play-off round by Europa League finalists Rangers.

Possessing a talented squad that includes the likes of Jordan Teze, Luuk De Jong, and Cody Gakpo, - plus former Spurs youth player and England U21 international Noni Madueke - they could give Mikel Arteta’s team problems and will offer the toughest test in Group A.

 

FC Zurich

Arsenal’s first opponents in the group stage on Thursday, FC Zurich will be low on confidence after a disastrous start to the Swiss domestic season.

Zurich were beaten 2-1 at home by Lugano on Saturday, meaning they have taken just two points from their opening seven league games.

Franco Foda’s side did win their domestic title for the first time in 13 years last season, but failed to qualify for the Champions League after a 5-4 aggregate defeat to Qarabag in the second qualifying round.

Wins over Linfield and Hearts then sealed them the consolation of a spot in the Europa League group stages.

They do have substantial European history becoming the first, and to date the only, Swiss side to reach the semi-finals of the European Cup/Champions League in both 1964 and 1977.

FCZ are yet to face an English team in the 21st century; the last time they took on a Premier League side in the Europa League they were beaten 5-2 on aggregate by Bobby Robson’s Newcastle United in 1999.

Away from the pitch Arsenal fans heading over for the away day should know they will need to have their wallet bulging to enjoy the trip. A 2021 Mercer report ranked Zurich as the fourth most expensive city in the world and most expensive in Europe.

On the pitch, Zurich shouldn’t pose too many problems for the Gunners, particularly when visiting North London, although European away games to Switzerland can be surprisingly hostile.

 

FK Bodo/Glimt

The reigning Norwegian champions complete Group A and will meet Arsenal for the very first time in the 2022-23 Europa League.

Based in the north of the country Bodo/Glimt have won the last two domestic titles, having never previously lifted the championship prior to 2020.

Yet European competition is in the clubs’ DNA, having first competed in the European Cup Winners Cup way back in 1976, after winning the Norwegian Cup the previous season.

Last season they announced themselves to a new generation of European football fans with a historic 6-1 win over Jose Mourinho’s Roma in the Conference League group stage.

The two sides met again in the quarter-finals with the Italians winning 5-2 on aggregate, but only after Glimt had won the first leg 2-1.

Home to some of the most passionate fans in Scandinavia, the ‘Yellow Horde’ are known for waving giant yellow toothbrushes in the air, something for match-going Gooners to look out for.

The origin of this first comes from 1975, when one of their supporters was trying to start a chant.

Arnulf Bendixen, the fan in question, grew frustrated at their lacklustre efforts so he asked around for a baton to conduct the singing - and a nearby fan passed him a toothbrush which he had in his pocket.

Expect to see lots of them flying about the Emirates Stadium regardless of the result on October 6.

Photo credit: Getty Images

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