Arsenal fans heartbroken by Europa League final problems, reveals club’s managing director

Arsenal fans heartbroken by Europa League final problems, reveals club’s managing director
Arsenal fans have been left ‘heartbroken’ at being unable to travel to Baku to watch their side face Chelsea in the Europa League final, the club’s managing director Vinai Venkatesham has revealed.Ever since the two London clubs qualified for the showpiece final – hosted in Azerbaijan’s capital on May 29 – concerns have been raised over the suitability of the venue.getty2

Azerbaijan’s national team play at the Baku Olympic stadium – the venue for this year’s Europa League final

Both Arsenal and Chelsea expressed disappointment at an allocation of around 6,000 tickets each for the Olympic Stadium, which can hold a capacity of some 69,870.Travel has also proved an issue for those planning to make the round trip of 5,000 miles from London to see their team bid to lift the trophy.UEFA competitions director Giorgio Marchetti has written a letter to Arsenal regarding the issues raised by the club.Venkatesham accepted the decision by UEFA had been taken well before the finalists were known but revealed supporters had been in touch to express their own frustrations.“I would say that, from a club perspective, we are really disappointed that we have ended up in a situation where we are playing in a major European final and, because of travel issues, the maximum number of tickets that can be made available to fans of both clubs is 6,000,” Venkatesham told Arsenal Media.Getty2

Unai Emery could end his first season at Arsenal with silverware

“So we are going to be playing in a stadium that is bigger than Emirates Stadium and both clubs are only going to get 6,000 tickets. It’s hugely disappointing.”Venkatesham added: “We have been receiving calls and letters and much more from fans who are heartbroken because they are not able to go to the final, despite following Arsenal home and away for so many years.”Arsenal continue to work with the Foreign Office after it emerged season-ticket holders with dual British and Armenian citizenship had been denied visas to visit Baku because of tensions with neighbouring Azerbaijan.Gunners midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan, captain of the Armenia national team, sat out the Europa League group game against Qarabag in Baku earlier this season. However, Azerbaijan’s ambassador to the UK, Tahir Taghizadeh, maintains there is no cause for concern ahead of the final.Taghizadeh told Sky Sports: “I would say (to Mkhitaryan) ‘you are a pro athlete, you are a footballer, and a class A footballer’, so let’s make sure this is a class A event if our purpose is to make a great final.“If our purpose is to play political games around it, that is something different, but I hope it is not, because you (Mkhitaryan) are being paid as a footballer, not as a politician, so let’s leave other issues aside.”Emery’s squad are currently preparing for the Europa League final, but plans are already in place ahead of the next campaign.The Premier League club announced on Monday that Arsenal Women will play Bayern Munich Women in the pre-season Emirates Cup before Emery’s side take on Lyon in a revamped version of the tournament.

LIVE ON talkSPORT

talkSPORT is your home of live football! Here's what's coming up on talkSPORT and talkSPORT 2...

• England Women vs Denmark Women (Saturday, 1pm) talkSPORT
• Newport County vs Tranmere (Saturday, 3pm) talkSPORT
• Charlton vs Sunderland (Sunday, 3pm) talkSPORT

 Arsenal will also meet Major League Soccer side the Colorado Rapids in Denver before then taking part in the International Champions Cup, with fixtures against Bayern, Roma and Real Madrid across three cities in the United States of America.As part of a wide-ranging interview with the in-house club media, Venkatesham maintained Arsenal’s US-based owners were ‘hugely ambitious’ and would continue to support strengthening the squad where possible.“Going back to the earlier question around ownership, all of these initiatives and ideas about how we move the club forward are completely supported by Stan and Josh (Kroenke),” Venkatesham said.“Their direction is quite simple: every single penny that we generate as a football club is available for us to invest against achieving that ambition, and that is the maximum that we can ask from our owners because that is the maximum allowed through the financial fair play rule.”

---

Tottenham Hotspur new stadium: Premier League may force Spurs to keep playing at Wembley if there are more delays The Londoners were due to be in their new home for the start of this season but
Tottenham Hotspur new stadium: Premier League may force Spurs

---

Manchester United 4-1 Bournemouth LIVE commentary stream: Lukaku adds a fourth in the second half The Red Devils are a rejuvenated side under caretaker boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer By Joe Coleman
Live Commentary: Manchester United 4-1 Bournemouth - as it

---

Joe Gomez has today signed a new long-term contract with Liverpool Football Club. The 21-year-old committed his future to the Reds by putting pen to paper on a fresh deal at Melwood on Monday morning, extending his three-and-a-half-year stay with the club.

---

Premier League title race latest news: Why April 14 will be the day when Liverpool and Manchester City's challenges are won and lost.
Premier League title race: Who has the best fixtures in the

---

Barcelona are confident they will sign Antoine Griezmann from Atletico Madrid this summer, despite late interest from Paris Saint-Germain. Griezmann announced on Tuesday that he will leave
Antoine Griezmann Transfer News: 'He will play in Barcelona

---

BACK ON TOP Manchester City 2-0 Cardiff: Pep Guardiola's men breeze past Bluebirds to retake top spot. City have now won each of their last eight Premier League fixtures.
Manchester City 2-0 Cardiff: Pep Guardiola's men breeze past

---

Manchester United team news: How Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side could look against Cardiff City with academy stars included. The Red Devils boss is set to hand a number of youngsters a chance
How Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side could look against Cardiff

---

Daniel Sturridge in betting storm: FA charge Liverpool striker after eight-month probe into West Brom loan move as his career hangs in balance gambled on football'. But the charge against

---

Portugal vs Switzerland: How to listen. Full commentary from the Estadio do Dragao in Porto will be exclusively live on talkSPORT, with our coverage getting underway at 7pm. Mark Saggers will bring you all the build-up and to tune into our commentary just click here for the live stream or click the radio player below.

---

Wolves Join Arsenal In Free Transfer Race For FC Porto Winger Newcomers Wolverhampton Wanderers have joined fellow Premier League sides in the free transfer race to sign FC Porto winger Yacine Brahimi.
Premier League transfer gossip: Arsenal and Tottenham fight

---

Pep Guardiola vs Jurgen Klopp: Which manager has won the most

---

Transfer news LIVE | Express Sport is on hand to bring you all the latest rumours and gossip Tuesday, March 26 Arsenal want to sign Cagliari star Nicolo Barella Liverpool outcast Alberto Moreno is set to join Barcelona Arsenal are interested in signing midfielder Ander Herrera Man Utd target Milan Skriniar wants to stay with […]
Arsenal Scout Nicolo Barella In Win Over Finland - Thewistle

---

Fantasy Premier League tips: Last-minute transfers, bargains, captain picks for FPL GW21 FANTASY PREMIER LEAGUE managers need to make their transfers now if they're going to avoid missing the GW21
Fantasy Premier League - tips: 5 players to sign in Gameweek 11

---