Cech and Kante start as Arsenal meet Chelsea in Europa League final

Retiring goalkeeper Petr Cech is starting for Arsenal in the Europa League final against former club Chelsea, who have named N’Golo Kante in midfield.

Gunners boss Unai Emery has given Cech the nod in Baku amid reports the 37-year-old could take up a staff role at Stamford Bridge following the final appearance of his career on Wednesday.

Maurizio Sarri, meanwhile, is gambling on the fitness of France international Kante, who he rated as a “50-50” chance to feature when addressing the media in his pre-match news conference.

The World Cup winner picked up a knee problem in training on Saturday, but joins Andreas Christensen, Emerson Palmieri, Pedro and the competition’s joint top scorer, Olivier Giroud, in the XI.

Eden Hazard will link up with the latter pair in attack in what could be his last outing for the Blues ahead of a mooted move to Real Madrid.

Arsenal will look to Mesut Ozil for creative inspiration in behind star forwards Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette.

1 – Petr Cech is the first player to play both for and against the same English team in a major UEFA European final (for Chelsea in 2013, against them in 2019). Mixed. #UELfinal #CHEARS pic.twitter.com/tVAx6Q6M9a

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) May 29, 2019