UEFA have confirmed that Arsenal’s Europa League game with Vorskla Poltava will go ahead as scheduled despite rising tension between Ukraine and Russia.
Ukraine’s parliament is due to decide today whether to bring in martial law, after the capture of three of its naval vessels by Russia in the Kerch Straight.
The BBC, citing local media, reports that martial law could “give the government the power to restrict public demonstrations, regulate the media, suspend elections, and oblige citizens to carry out ‘socially necessary’ tasks such as working at a defence facility.”
Whether that also includes watching The Arsenal remains to be seen.
According to the Associated Press, UEFA has confirmed “that the match will be played as scheduled” on Thursday, adding that “as is the case for all UEFA competition matches, all the necessary security measures will be undertaken.”
It’s not hugely surprising news, Poltava is a significant distance from the Russian annexed region of Crimea as well as the conflict taking place in eastern Ukraine where Russia-backed separatists have moved against the Ukrainian state and Craig Eastmond once scored an own goal. It’s not known if the latter two situations are linked.
What is certain at this stage is that Unai Emery’s men are going to be cold. The temperature at the 25,000 capacity Oleksey Bukovsky Vorskla Stadium is expected to plummet to -13C on Thursday night.
This is the current state of the Butovsky Vorskla Stadium, where #AFC are playing Vorskla Poltava on Thursday night. Temperatures are set to fall as low as -13 on Thursday night. pic.twitter.com/D2kQ9XQaCD
— Sam Dean (@SamJDean) November 26, 2018
That’s even colder than when we travelled to Swedish side Ostersund February. Pack your gloves lads.
Arsenal have already qualified for the knockout stages but we still need another win to make sure of finishing top of their group.
God save our lads from warmongers and subzero temperature. Amen
Please give Ainsley and Eddie some minutes this Thursday!
-13, yikes. I’d pretend be sick to miss this one, I’m sure that’s what Ozil’s planning!
Ozil hasn’t played since he was hooked against Wolves, that’s over two weeks ago, if Bournemouth was too physical for him? Then surely that rules him out for Spurs?
90 minutes on Thursday would do him so good, keep him fresh for the league cup and final Europa League group game.
#Rich, don’t be shy mate we know you love Ozil
Every time there’s chance to diss him ! The salary, the injuries, dropped from starting lineup. I don’t think he deserves these hatreds from Arsenal fans. Maybe it’s only small part of us, but it’s getting really really really annoying.
The kid of someone l know was one of the receiver of his charity in Brazil. I think it’s for corrective surgery or some medication for a community there.
I honestly hope he would just go somewhere else or even retire.next season, or even this January.
Well said Gudang…Sanchez gets paid a lot more than him but has only had two decent games (and two goals) since he joined Man U. Ozil is not suited for every game but I think he’ll play and do well against Spurs…I don’t think he should be sold in January though!
I thought my joke was funny. Fact 1: Ozil is sick a lot. Fact 2: it’s cold in the Ukraine. I combined these two facts to make a funny. I didn’t think anyone would get their knickers in a knot 🙂
Happy Monday, keep smiling everyone!
Unbeaten in 17! COYG!
David C… I laughed mate.
we might be the last people on earth with a sense of humor. Stay strong fellow warrior!!!
Minus 13. We need lads that roll up their sleeves, grit their teeth and fight for the badge. Mesut: You’re up son!!!!
It’s incredible to think of the dire impact on world affairs that Craig Eastmond’s own goal had.
Poltava is also the place where Charles XII of Sweden (who in reality was Charles VI) in 1809 suffered a major defeat at the hand of the Russian army, led by Peter the great, leading to an eventual loss of all the Swedish possesions on the east side of the Baltic sea.
It is unknown whether this is linked to Arsenal in any way.
..1709
I was just about to correct you.
His name were Karl XII.
Never heard of a swede named Charles back in those days…
meh…Pippilotta Viktualia Rullgardina Krusmynta Efraimsdotter Långstrump is also named Pippi Longstocking so Charles seems proper to me 😉
Cech
Jenks – Mustafi – Plegz – Bramall/AMN
Guendouzi – Willock
Saka – ESR – John-jules/AMN
Nketiah
Only kids allowed on the bench.
Totally agree with you!!!!
Yeah me 2!!
Hey guys!! Good 2 see you here!!!!
I’m all on board with bendtnerschristmastree’s lineup!!!!
Well, that makes six of us!!!!
Probably best to be honest, I can’t imagine those conditions are going to help keep players fresh for Sunday
Okay….
Elneny is guaranteed to start you nonce!
In this day and age of hypersensitivity how is there not like a temperature cap for football matches.
Im cool with hot weather and and bad conditions and maybe as cold as -5. But come on -13? Don’t people actually die in conditions like that? I know I would. I would definitely pick up a “niggle” in training before the match and save myself from 90 minutes in some icy blizzard risking all manor of disease and injury.
If the Prem is WWF/WWE then Europa is ECW/rednecks power-slamming their bro-dad off the roof of their trailer.
Reading your post I see clearly at least 4 obvious reasons why you are posting comments and not playing football at a professional level
I am not sure why being top of the group matters in this situation. It helps to avoid being matched against the big clubs immediately–but that’s us. Other clubs want to top their groups so they don’t have to play Arsenal. It will be great to beat Spurs in the final.
CL Group C will see one of Napoli, Liverpool or PSG dropping into the Europa League. Inter or Spurs can also drop down and all jokes aside, the competition is going be difficult to win. The safe option is to finish top of your group.
Hostile environment eh?
Rotate rotate rotate.
Save most of the big guns for the weekend.
……………………..Nketiah……………………..
Smith-Rowe………Rambo…………………Mhki
………….Guendouzi……….Elneny…………….
Jenks………………………………………….AMN
…………….Sokratis………Pleggy………………
………………………Cech…………………………
Prob good to have Laca out for a short bit to get warmed up (in the frigid cold) for the weekend too at the end.
Maybe a bit of Ozil at some point.
Dunno if Mavropanos and his groin is ready. Might be too early for Koscielny still.
Nketiah in goal and Cech up front, seems risky, but i think it may work…
Can’t wait to get back into CL
There’s no advantage to topping a Europa League group. Hope we field the u23 side
Seriously, no one should be going there except the youngsters.
Advantage is being seeded in the knock out round.
“…oblige citizens to carry out ‘socially necessary’ tasks such as working at a defence facility.”
===
If only Kolasinac and Mustafi were Ukrainian.
Hahahaha. ROTFL
This comment. So much truth. Vote McCheese for re-election.
Very good! I guffawed heartily
Why is FC Vorskla Poltava?
-13 is nothing… come to Alberta, Canada and witness -20 and below
yeah mate and thats the reason why u have 36million inhabitants but no proper football team 😉
I can’t say anything. My country didn’t make to the World Cup neither, but we did elect a f*ckface.
wow u are from austria too? #fuckfaceseverywhere
Ha! Our f*ckface has really weird hair among other very weird and f*ckfaced characteristics/beliefs.
Should not play our 1st team here, time for bench Warmers to get hmm…. in to the cold
I would be very tempted to send a completely inexperienced team for this one and not risk any of the key 1st team players. I know it might cost us top place in the group (though a resounding home win in the last fixture vs FK Qarabag would likely do it), but to me not worth risking any key players for any length of time.