Match ends, Arsenal 0, Villarreal 0.
Arsenal's Europa League hopes were dashed as Villarreal sealed a semi-final victory that will almost certainly end the Gunners' unbroken 25-season run of appearing in European competition.
Trailing 2-1 from the first leg in Spain and knowing that victory in this tournament represented their only realistic route back into the Champions League, Mikel Arteta's side could not find a way past the visitors' stubborn defence.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang struck the post with a volley but it was a rare moment of threat in a display strangely passive for large parts.
Nicolas Pepe and Emile Smith Rowe both fired efforts wide early in the second half and Aubameyang hit the post again with a downward header later in the game, but such moments were few and far between.
That the defeat came at the hands of former boss Unai Emery will be especially galling for the Gunners. Emery was sacked in November 2019 after 18 months in charge, ultimately leading to the appointment of Arteta.
With Manchester United seeing off Roma in the other semi-final and Chelsea and Manchester City into the Champions League final, Arsenal's loss ruins hopes of a Premier League clean sweep of European competitions this season.
Villarreal will face United in Gdansk's Stadion Miejski on 26 May.
More importantly for the Gunners, though, the result effectively ends their season and their European chances - a big blow to a club that, a little over two weeks ago, was one of 12 prepared to walk away from the Champions League in order to join the proposed European Super League.
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Arsenal blow their chance to save the season
Arsenal have been a mainstay in European competition since the 1996-97 season, much of that time spent in the Champions League under Arsene Wenger, with the last four campaigns in the Europa League.
But that run is now over, serving warning that the Gunners are arguably at their lowest point in terms of on-field performance since George Graham was sacked in February 1995.
There were high hopes when Arteta's side beat Liverpool in August's Community Shield, after winning last season's FA Cup, but what has followed has been a model of inconsistency, every forward stride followed by two steps back.
For such a crucial game, they were too nervous and ponderous in the first half, failing to open up a Villarreal side comforted by their first-leg advantage and determined not to be unbalanced.
Young, talented players showed flashes and then faded, while senior individuals, so crucial to guide a side through such situations, failed to step up when needed with the requisite composure and leadership.
Aubameyang did his best but is clearly still hampered by fitness issues following a recent bout of malaria. His withdrawal late on, when a goal was needed to save the team's season, was a clear nod to this.
Similarly, Kieran Tierney was a late addition to the starting XI, with Granit Xhaka picking up an injury in the warm-up, but after a spell out he was clearly not at his dynamic, penetrative best down the left.
Arsenal's first home meeting with Villarreal - a Champions League semi-final 15 years ago - was the final European game at Highbury.
Without some serious summer surgery, Thursday's game against the Spanish side may well be the last continental encounter the Emirates sees for some time.
Emery has the last laugh
Villarreal's boss is the undoubted master of the Europa League.
He won the competition three times on the trot as Sevilla boss between 2014 and 2016 before leading the Gunners themselves to the final in 2019, where they were comprehensively beaten by Chelsea.
This is another triumph for the Spaniard and a sweet one at that, coming at the ground where he was never fully embraced by a crowd fed on a regular diet of success by Wenger and frustrated at the way the Frenchman's regime was allowed to slide from its early heights.
As in the first leg, in which Villarreal were somewhat unfortunate to concede, Emery won the tactical battle against his successor and compatriot Arteta.
They were disciplined, well-drilled, alive to where the danger might come from and willing to battle when they had to.
They had to face some adversity too, with arguably their most dangerous player, Samuel Chukwueze, departing injured in the first half.
But they adapted and continued to compete with a minimum of fuss.
A sweet moment for Emery, but also for Villarreal, who were beaten by Arsenal in the Champions League semi-finals in 2006 and quarter-finals three years later, and now, finally, have their revenge.
Yellow Submarine sets sail for first European final - the stats
- Villarreal have reached the final of a major European competition for the very first time, having been eliminated from each of their previous four semi-finals - Uefa Cup/Europa League in 2003-04, 2010-11, 2015-16 and Champions League 2005-06.
- Having progressed from each of their first six semi-finals in major European competition, Arsenal have been eliminated from three of their four appearances at this stage in Europe since (2008-09 Champions League, 2017-18 & 2020-21 Europa League).
- Since the competition's rebranding in 2009-10, Unai Emery has reached the final of the Europa League on more occasions than any other manager (5 - 2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16, 2018-19 & 2020-21) - indeed, the Spaniard has won the competition on three of the previous four occasions he has reached the final.
- Arsenal have failed to reach the final of a major European/domestic cup competition for the first time since 2015-16 (reaching the 2016-17 FA Cup, 2017-18 League Cup, 2018-19 Europa League & 2019-20 FA Cup finals since).
- Villarreal remain unbeaten in 14 games in European competition (W12 D2), last suffering defeat in April 2019 (0-2 v Valencia in the Europa League quarter-final 2nd leg).
- Arsenal have failed to score in 10 home matches within a single season in all competitions for the first time in the club's history.
- This was Villarreal's first goalless draw in Europe in 21 matches, since a stalemate against Rangers in November 2018.
- Arsenal have failed to win in three consecutive home matches in Europe (D2 L1) for the first time since September 2003 (a run of six).
Player of the match
MorenoAlberto Moreno
Arsenal
Avg
- Squad number3Player nameTierneyAverage rating
4.63
- Squad number1Player nameLenoAverage rating
4.04
- Squad number35Player nameGabriel MartinelliAverage rating
3.96
- Squad number32Player nameSmith RoweAverage rating
3.94
- Squad number14Player nameAubameyangAverage rating
3.86
- Squad number7Player nameSakaAverage rating
3.84
- Squad number16Player nameHoldingAverage rating
3.75
- Squad number22Player nameMarĂAverage rating
3.65
- Squad number19Player namePépéAverage rating
3.63
- Squad number11Player nameĂdegaardAverage rating
3.55
- Squad number2Player nameBellerĂnAverage rating
3.55
- Squad number18Player nameParteyAverage rating
3.47
- Squad number9Player nameLacazetteAverage rating
3.31
- Squad number12Player nameWillianAverage rating
2.98
- Squad number30Player nameNketiahAverage rating
2.64
Villarreal
Avg
- Squad number18Player nameMorenoAverage rating
7.88
- Squad number11Player nameChukwuezeAverage rating
7.67
- Squad number5Player nameParejoAverage rating
7.61
- Squad number24Player namePedrazaAverage rating
7.61
- Squad number17Player namePaco AlcĂĄcerAverage rating
7.61
- Squad number3Player nameAlbiolAverage rating
7.59
- Squad number23Player nameMoi GĂłmezAverage rating
7.59
- Squad number4Player nameP TorresAverage rating
7.56
- Squad number19Player nameCoquelinAverage rating
7.55
- Squad number7Player nameMorenoAverage rating
7.54
- Squad number14Player nameManu TriguerosAverage rating
7.52
- Squad number2Player nameMario GasparAverage rating
7.46
- Squad number9Player nameBaccaAverage rating
7.36
- Squad number30Player namePinoAverage rating
7.35
- Squad number13Player nameRulliAverage rating
7.32
Line-ups
Arsenal
Formation 4-1-4-1
- 1Leno
- 2BellerĂnSubstituted forNketiahat 90+1'minutesBooked at 90mins
- 16Holding
- 22MarĂ
- 3TierneySubstituted forWillianat 80'minutes
- 18Partey
- 7Saka
- 11ĂdegaardSubstituted forMartinelliat 66'minutes
- 32Smith Rowe
- 19Pépé
- 14AubameyangSubstituted forLacazetteat 79'minutes
Substitutes
- 6Gabriel
- 9Lacazette
- 12Willian
- 17CĂ©dric Soares
- 21Chambers
- 24Nelson
- 25Elneny
- 30Nketiah
- 33Ryan
- 35Martinelli
- 53Okonkwo
Villarreal
Formation 4-4-2
- 13Rulli
- 2M Gaspar
- 3Albiol
- 4P Torres
- 24PedrazaSubstituted forMorenoat 90+1'minutes
- 11ChukwuezeSubstituted forPinoat 30'minutesBooked at 86minsSubstituted forGĂłmez Bardonadoat 90+1'minutes
- 5Parejo
- 19Coquelin
- 14Trigueros Muñoz
- 7Moreno
- 17AlcĂĄcerSubstituted forBaccaat 72'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Asenjo
- 6Funes Mori
- 9Bacca
- 12Rabaseda AntolĂn
- 15Estupiñån
- 18Moreno
- 20Peña
- 21Costa
- 23GĂłmez Bardonado
- 30Pino
- 32Baena
- 34Niño
- Referee:
- Slavko Vincic
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home56%
- Away44%
- Shots
- Home14
- Away8
- Shots on Target
- Home1
- Away3
- Corners
- Home8
- Away5
- Fouls
- Home13
- Away6
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Arsenal 0, Villarreal 0.
Post update
Willian (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Carlos Bacca (Villarreal).
Post update
Foul by Eddie Nketiah (Arsenal).
Post update
Mario Gaspar (Villarreal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Booking
Eddie Nketiah (Arsenal) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Foul by Eddie Nketiah (Arsenal).
Post update
Francis Coquelin (Villarreal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Arsenal. Eddie Nketiah replaces HĂ©ctor BellerĂn.
Substitution
Substitution, Villarreal. Alberto Moreno replaces Alfonso Pedraza.
Substitution
Substitution, Villarreal. Moi GĂłmez replaces Yeremi Pino.
Post update
Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Francis Coquelin.
Post update
Attempt blocked. HĂ©ctor BellerĂn (Arsenal) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Nicolas PĂ©pĂ©.
Post update
Offside, Arsenal. HĂ©ctor BellerĂn tries a through ball, but Gabriel Martinelli is caught offside.
Post update
Attempt blocked. HĂ©ctor BellerĂn (Arsenal) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Alexandre Lacazette.
Booking
Yeremi Pino (Villarreal) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
Foul by Pablo MarĂ (Arsenal).
Post update
Yeremi Pino (Villarreal) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal).
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Comments
Join the conversation
Chelsea get to the final.
Man Utd get to the final.
And then you have Arsenal.
It's par for the course in North London
That was diabolical, dire, lacklustre, pedestrian. No intensity whatsoever.
Fair to say we got what we deserved.
AND
TAKES OFF AUBA
WHAT YA RESTING HIM FOR?????
Arteta out
Premier league title â
Fa cup â
Efl cup â
Champions league â
Europa league â
Finishing bottom half of prem â
Give arteta a lifetime contract and I think the majority of Arsenal fans would rather watch paint dry.
The team looked clueless, tactics muddled and a complete waste of time!
Well the cracks arenât papered over now! Sort this club out, get a proper manager and bring this club back to where it belongs!