Arsenal receives a major boost as they plan to rip Rennes

Arsenal fans get best news ahead of must-win Europa League match

Fans of Arsenal will be delighted to hear that French striker Alexandre Lacazette will be eligible to play in Thursday’s important Europa League round of 16 second leg clash against Rennes after UEFA confirmed on Tuesday that a three-match ban previously slammed on the Gunners man was reduced to two games.

Lacazette was shown a red card for a foul on BATE Borisov defender Aleksandar Filipovic in the round of 32 first leg match in Belarus and was hit with a three-game ban by the European football governing body for serious rough play.

Arsenal appealed against the decision which was partially upheld and The French striker’s suspension was reduced to two matches, which he has already served. “The appeal lodged by Arsenal FC has been partially upheld,” UEFA said in a statement.

The French striker was ineligible as Arsenal overturned a 1-0 deficit to win 3-1 on aggregate after getting a 3-0 win over the Belarusian side in the return leg, only to be helpless as he watched his teammates relinquish a 1-0 lead to lose 3-1 at Rennes last Thursday to be on the verge of crashing out of the competition which is head coach Unai Emery’s only realistic chance of finishing this season with silverware.

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Arsenal arrived at Roazhon Park having never lost an away game against French opposition. For large parts of the first half, that record looked like remaining intact as they gathered an early lead courtesy of Iwobi and controlled possession. Alex Iwobi’s early cross-shot had put Arsenal in front but they lost control of the game after Sokratis Papastathopoulos’ dismissal for a second booking.

Benjamin Bourigeaud immediately drew the hosts level with a stunning strike into the top right corner, with Nacho Monreal’s own goal and Ismaila Sarr’s late header compounding a miserable evening for Arsenal. Having already been booked for a foul on Hatem Ben Arfa, Greece defender Papastathopoulos pulled Sarr’s shirt to earn his second yellow card, shifting the momentum of the game in the hosts’ favour.

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“The red card changed the game more than we wanted. The first 40 minutes we controlled, we scored, we didn’t concede good chances. I think we can do better and I have confidence with our players and our supporters helping us,” Unai Emery said after that match. “A red card can come but after we must learn also to play with one less player. We couldn’t do our work in difficult moments, in difficult minutes,” he added.

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