Baku or bust? The problems Sarri and Emery face as the final showdown looms | Soccer

What did they do well this season?

Maurizio Sarri Chelsea finished third in the Premier League to qualify for the Champions League next season, which responded to the key demand made to the head coach when he was named last July. In the context of last year's relative difficulties under Antonio Conte, as well as the mid-term crisis that occurred when their form on the outside collapsed (and they won one of their last five games), this is a feat. They have also reached the finals of the Carabao Cup and the Europa League and the record of Sarri, according to which this season "was good and, if we win in Baku, would be wonderful," is far from bizarre. In many other clubs, it would already be considered a triumph.

Unai Emery The question can not be clarified until the first hours of Thursday morning in Baku. Reaching the final of the Europa League is commendable, and they have shown excellent performance and character throughout the course, but Emery needs a successful end to avoid cruel questions about how his team has managed to rank among the top four in the Premier League. Although there was not enough consistency, some aspects progressed. In a nutshell: Arsenal have improved in important matches, integrated new talents such as Lucas Torreira, Mattéo Guendouzi and Bernd Leno, and found a way to make their most powerful assets upstream, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette.

What could have gone better for them?

Sarri The disconnect between the head coach and the support undermined his position. Football, although effective for periods, has been unrecognizable since his last days in Naples. This was a heavy step, prompting abusive chants that were aired for the first time in the defeat against Manchester United in the England Cup. There is no patience for a work in progress. The Italian reports a lack of training time, due to the disruption of last summer or the busy schedule that follows. A complete pre-season can make the difference. Yet his public criticism of the recent trip to Boston – while understandably football-friendly – and his low profile around the charity match and related events will not have attracted him to Roman Abramovich.

Emery This sad fall of season means that Baku is a bankrupt country in terms of qualifying for the Champions League. After being put in a strong position in the Premier League, poor team selections and poor performance have frustrated this option. One point of the home games against Crystal Palace and Brighton will not be easily forgiven if they do not win the Europa League. In a broader perspective, Emery's style or plan is not yet entirely clear. Defensively, they remain a work in progress, the midfielder lacks creativity and real threats to goals from wide positions, and the team is still sometimes too passive.

Have they made the most of the players at their disposal?

Sarri This group had trouble playing with the spice from Napoli to Sarri. Jorginho was supposed to set the tone but spent the season adjusting to players unfamiliar with the head coach's philosophy, while N & # 039; Golo Kanté, two-time Premier League defensive midfielder and champion of the world, operated the right of a three. This has rarely been a good use of his qualities. The recruitment of Gonzalo Higuaín in January also seems wrong given its low impact. The coach has sometimes been able to convince Eden Hazard, including smart selections early in the summer, and has finally lent (almost reluctantly) to the talent of Callum Hudson-Odoi and Ruben Loftus-Cheek. They felt established before Achilles' wounds checked progress cruelly.

Emery The context is really important here. Emery inherited a team that contained a number of problems and then had to deal with the loss of three important players due to season-ending injuries. Not easy circumstances. The mission of making the most of individuals is linked to the health of the collective. Is it Emery's fault if Mesut Özil's numbers are down? Or that Granit Xhaka is inclined to go out of defense? Or that Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Alex Iwobi can be overlooked when it comes to finished products? Consistency of performance has been difficult to achieve but it is not new. Nevertheless, Emery has done well to put in place a formula that exploits the strengths of Aubameyang and Lacazette, which has made them so far.

Have they managed to create a strong bond with the players?

Sarri Only with some. David Luiz spoke enthusiastically about the Italian's approach, although he was excluded in the last months of his term and grateful to be involved. While Hudson-Odoi and Loftus-Cheek were on the sidelines, their future was seriously questioned; to allow one of the graduates of the academy to leave would have sent a dark message. The marginalization of club captain Gary Cahill and, to a lesser extent, Danny Drinkwater was not easy with VIPs in the locker room. Kepa Arrizabalaga's very public attack on Wembley, refusing to be replaced late in the Carabao Cup final, seemed to denounce a lack of respect for the coach's authority.

Emery The hangover of his difficult relationship with Neymar while the director of the PSG seemed to float at the beginning, when he was trying to impose some authority. At the start of the season, Emery tried to silence Özil and the outgoing Aaron Ramsey before releasing his attitude. Maintaining inspiration from Aubameyang and Lacazette was a challenge when both had spells on the bench, while it was hard to find a way to play them together and maintain a semblance of balance behind them. There seems to be enough respect for Emery from the players – but for the stars of the team, the return to the Champions League depends largely.

What is its importance to win the final of the Europa League?

Sarri The Italian must claim a first major trophy in an elite club. Chelsea has been seduced by his style of play, which he has not yet implemented properly, but he still has to be convinced that he has a natural winner. Success in Azerbaijan would give Sarri evidence that he can deliver silverware, although this is still not enough to save him. It's a changing club that is trying to solve the problem of banning two-window transfer from FIFA and wondering if the current team will be able to impose Sarriball on the Premier League. Even now, rumors persist that Chelsea would not oppose whether Juventus or the Roma were willing to buy back his contract worth £ 5 million a year. Baku could still be goodbye.

Emery This is a colossal issue of importance and an important factor in the psychology of the game – because Chelsea has a Champions League ticket in his pocket. It is difficult to overestimate the importance of the stakes in Arsenal's strategic plans. Their transfer budget could differ by around £ 60 million depending on the European competition they will be in. Winning a trophy would be very welcome and would prove that they can still be a successful cup team, in which Wenger specialized in the end. A first European trophy since 1994 would mean a lot on many levels.