Chelsea vs. Arsenal: 2019 Europa League Final Odds and Prediction

Premier League rivals Chelsea and Arsenal face off in an all-English 2019 UEFA Europa League final on Wednesday at the Baku Olympic Stadium in Azerbaijan.

Maurizio Sarri's side finished third in the Premier League, two points and two places higher than Arsenal, and are slight favourites to lift the trophy for the second time in their history.

Arsenal are yet to win the Europa League and are in the final for the first time, but manager Unai Emery has a strong record in the tournament after enjoying three wins with Spanish side Sevilla.

Here's a look at the latest odds, courtesy of Oddschecker:

Chelsea: 29-20

Arsenal: 21-10

Draw (after 90 minutes): 12-5

Chelsea's plans for the final have been disrupted by injuries to key players. Centre-back Antonio Rudiger will miss out after knee surgery, while Callum Hudson-Odoi and Ruben Loftus-Cheek have both had operations after suffering ruptured Achilles tendons.

World Cup winner N'Golo Kante is also a doubt for the game with a knee injury, according to the Guardian's Dominic Fifield. The midfielder is being "closely monitored," and the Blues "have not given up hope" he can play a part.

The good news for Chelsea is that talisman Eden Hazard is fit and available, and he comes into the game off the back of a superb season for the Blues:

Former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho says the Europa League final is likely to represent the Belgium international's last appearance in a blue shirt before a summer move to Real Madrid, per sports journalist Paul Brown:

Chelsea have already qualified for next season's UEFA Champions League by finishing third in the league but will want to end the season with some silverware, particularly after their defeat in the Carabao Cup final in February.

Goal's Nizaar Kinsella noted another reason why the Blues will want to win on Wednesday:

Meanwhile, Arsenal must win if they are to play in Europe's top competition next season but have a poor record in European finals and against English teams, as noted by Kinsella:

Yet they do have a manager who knows exactly what it takes to win the Europa League:

The Gunners also have a pair of strikers who can cause all sorts of problems. 

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has seven goals in his last four games, including a hat-trick in the semi-final victory over Valencia:

Alexandre Lacazette has also weighed in with five goals in the tournament, and it is clear the two players enjoy a great relationship:

Both teams have already shown they can beat each other this season. Chelsea won 3-2 in the Premier League at Stamford Bridge in August, while the Gunners won the return game at the Emirates Stadium 2-0 in January.

Prediction

Chelsea have enjoyed the stronger season, but injuries to key players will weaken Sarri's side. Arsenal have impressed in the last two rounds of the competition and have the added motivation of trying to qualify for the Champions League. 

Chelsea 1-2 Arsenal