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Reuters
Reuters
Sport

Emery gives Arsenal 50-50 chance of reaching Europa League semis

Soccer Football - Europa League - Arsenal Training - Stadio San Paolo, Naples, Italy - April 17, 2019 Arsenal's Carl Jenkinson, Aaron Ramsey and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang with manager Unai Emery during training Action Images via Reuters/Matthew Childs

(Reuters) - Unai Emery believes Arsenal have a "50-50 chance" of reaching the Europa League semi-finals despite taking a 2-0 lead into Thursday's second leg against Napoli.

Arsenal dominated the first leg at the Emirates Stadium last week as an Aaron Ramsey finish and a Kalidou Koulibaly own goal secured the win inside 25 minutes.

However, Emery's Arsenal have struggled on the road since the start of the calendar year and have won just three of their last nine away games in all competitions.

Napoli on the other hand have lost just once at Stadio San Paolo in Serie A all season -- against reigning Italian champions Juventus.

"Fifty-fifty, it's not changed for me. We played the first leg at home and we won," Emery told a news conference on Wednesday. "That's a normal result.

"But when you play here against Napoli, they can beat you, it's a possibility because they are very strong at home.

"(They will test us) tactically and with this atmosphere here they are going to play with courage. They are ready to play with their head and intelligence."

Arsenal will be without on-loan midfielder Denis Suarez after the club confirmed he stayed in London for treatment on a groin problem.

(Reporting by Hardik Vyas in Bengaluru; Editing by Toby Davis)

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