The UEFA Europa League is the second most important European competition for clubs in the Old World. The popularity of the competition is growing every year, the composition of the participants allows us to speak of high competition. Football fans are eagerly awaiting the playoff stages. This is especially true of the final confrontation.
After the winner of the UEFA Europa League won the right to play in the Champions League next season, interest in the tournament has grown significantly. In the best European domestic championships, which include the championships of England, Spain, Italy, Germany and France at the end of the season, not all top clubs can get the right to compete for the European Champions Cup. In this regard, the teams pin their hopes on the Europa League. In 2019, the next draw of the second most important European tournament among the teams of the Old World turned out to be very exciting.
Date and venue of the 2019 Europa League final
The Europa League tournament lasts an entire season. 48 teams take part in it. The playoffs, which start at the round of 16, are adding eight clubs relegated from the Champions League. The championship is proceeding rapidly, and by the end of May the participants in the final confrontation are already determined. In 2019, the UEFA Europa League final is scheduled for the evening of May 29. In some cities of Russia, due to the difference with European time, the final of the tournament will begin on the night of May 30.
The capital of Azerbaijan, the city of Baku, was chosen as the venue for such an important game. Significant world competitions have already been held in Baku, such as the 2015 European Games and the final match for the UEFA Super Cup. The final game of the Europa League in Azerbaijan will be held for the first time.
The decisive match for the UEFA Cup will take place at the Olympic Stadium in Baku. The construction of the arena started relatively recently (2011) with the aim of hosting significant European football matches and other high-level competitions. The construction of the stadium was completed in 2015, its capacity was just under seventy thousand spectators. The Olympic arena has received four stars out of five according to the UEFA version.
List of participants in the 2019 Europa League final
In 2019, for the first time in the European Cup season, only teams from England will meet in the finals of two tournaments. In the decisive match of the 2019 UEFA Europa League, spectators will be able to see not only the rivalry between clubs from one country, but also from one city. London giants Chelsea and Arsenal will compete for the coveted trophy.
At the end of the season in the English Premier League 2018-2019, Chelsea are higher in the standings. The club won bronze medals in the championship. London Arsenal are on the fifth line, which does not allow the Gunners to play in the Champions League next year. Therefore, Arsenal need to win the Europa League final at the end of May this year.
Chelsea made their way to the final quite confidently. In the early stages of the playoffs, Londoners defeated Swedish Malmö, Kiev Dynamo, Czech Slavia. Difficulties were experienced only in the semi-final confrontation with the German "Eintracht". Both meetings ended with an equal score 1: 1. Only on penalties were Chelsea's players more successful.
Arsenal's rivals on the way to the final were more difficult. True, this does not apply to the first two rounds, in which the Gunners dealt with the Belarusian Bate and the French Rennes. In the quarterfinals, Arsenal had to defeat the Italian Napoli, and in the semifinal confrontation they had to break the resistance of the Spanish Valencia.
Chelsea will host the final match. The well-known Italian referee Gianluca Rocchi was appointed the chief arbiter of the meeting.
