Europa League final: Arsenal stars reflect on much improved Valencia victory before thoughts turn to Chelsea

“Perfect.”

Unai Emery was the first to use the word. “Our mentality for this match was perfect,” he nodded, after he had retreated from the raw fury of the Mestalla to the relative quiet of the club’s tiny press room. “I am very proud of the players and we must enjoy a moment like this, a moment when all of our supporters can be very proud of Arsenal.”

Petr Cech was next, moments after watching his former team, Chelsea, book their place in Baku by beating Eintracht Frankfurt on penalties. “For me, this is the perfect way to finish my career, with a final and against my old team,” he said. “It is spectacular for me and I hope that we are able to win as well. That is what I want to do. I want to win the cup for Arsenal and finish my career.”

It seems remarkable that, only one week ago, Piere Emerick Aubameyang, Alexander Lacazette and Sead Kolasinac were all slumped in the home dug-out like teenagers stuck in detention, after a dismal draw with Brighton & Hove Albion put paid to Arsenal’s top four hopes. How long ago that result that seems. And how irrelevant it will ultimately prove if Arsenal secure Champions League qualification by beating Chelsea in Baku at the end of the month.

Although it was possibly a perfect night for Arsenal, it wasn’t quite a perfect performance. They started slowly. They came desperately close to falling behind in the tie when Rodrigo’s low shot was deflected clear. And both of Kevin Gameiro’s goals were ultimately avoidable. They are European finalists, but there is still work to be done.

And yet, once again, Lacazette and Aubameyang were on hand to fire Arsenal out of trouble, with the latter quick to praise Emery for the impact he has made on this team over the past season. “We have learned from last season and, this year, we did not make the same mistakes,” he said. “And now we are through to the final.”

The striker was sensational, scoring his first hat-trick since signing from Borussia Dortmund in January 2018, with Lacazette adding the other goal in a morale-boosting 4-2 win. “We have played badly in the Premier League during the last month and now we have to use this opportunity,” Lacazette later said. “We want to play in the Champions League and we want to win this trophy.”

On the surface, Arsenal’s match against Burnley at Turf Moor this weekend will have little influence on their European final in Azerbaijan two and a half weeks later. But Lacazette is correct when he says Arsenal have been poor in the league and a win would at least see them maintain some momentum heading into their final match of the season — even if fourth-place Tottenham are now realistically out of sight.

As expected, this has been a testing maiden campaign for Emery at the Emirates, although a European title and Champions League qualification — regardless of Premier League position — will be seen as a successful first outcome in the club’s post-Arsène Wenger era. But Arsenal’s season almost unravelled when Rodrigo went close to doubling Valencia’s early lead, only for his strike partner Gameiro to inadvertently deflect his attempt clear.

Not that Rodrigo, a former Bolton Wanderers loanee, had any complaints.

“We believed for as long as possible, but there’s been no injustice in this tie,” he conceded. “Going one goal up like we did gave us a huge boost but thanks to a small error we lost the equaliser far too quickly and that meant, gradually, we lost our way.

“We have had our chances of victory across the two ties but there's no question that Arsenal have been much more efficient and effective than us. There's no way we can claim that we were unlucky — not when you concede seven times in a semi final.”