Valencia v Arsenal: Europa League semi-final, second leg – live!

• Europa League semi-final, second leg updates (first leg: 1-3)
• Chelsea v Eintracht Frankfurt – the latest from the other semi
• And you can email Paul here or tweet him here

6.57pm BST

Here’s some footage of a bus arriving at the stadium in Valencia. I’m guessing it contains the home team’s players. Otherwise there’s some very confused commuters on board.

Wow! #VCF pic.twitter.com/DrS92cMbTV

12.45pm BST

3-1? Pah! What’s a 3-1 lead in this day and age? If there’s one thing that this week’s European action so far has reinforced, it’s that this tie remains very much in the balance. Valencia players need a good shaking if they don’t truly believe a comeback is possible, and Arsenal want several clips round the ear if they don’t realise they’re capable of collapsing to a 2-0 defeat, or worse. Even in the first leg Arsenal defended chaotically and could have conceded a hat-full before Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang struck late on to give them a modest cushion. And Valencia tend to be more dangerous at home, winning each of their last eight home games in this competition without, mind you, facing an attack as potentially fearsome as Arsenal’s. Unai Emery, who won more European trophies before joining Arsenal than Arsenal have in their entire history, is all too aware of his team’s defensive flimsiness so has vowed to try to outscore Valencia here, too. That is the wisest approach, and also the most fun. Humdinger ahoy!

Continue reading…