Alexandre Lacazette Available for Rennes Clash After Europa League Ban Is Reduced on Appeal

Alexandre Lacazette will be eligible to play for Arsenal in the second leg of their Europa League clash with Rennes on Thursday after his Uefa ban has been reduced to two matches.

Lacazette was initially handed a three match ban from European competition after he picked up a red card at the end of the Gunners' round of 32 first leg tie against BATE Borisov. The French striker had already served two matches of that ban - the second leg against BATE Borisov and the first leg of the round of 16 clash against Rennes - and was set to miss out again on Thursday.

However, Arsenal have now confirmed on their website that Lacazette will be available for selection after Uefa lifted the initial ban to just two matches.

Arsenal also shared a statement from Uefa which read as follows: “The appeal lodged by Arsenal FC has been partially upheld. To suspend the Arsenal FC player Alexandre Lacazette for two (2) Uefa competition matches for which he would be otherwise eligible for serious rough play.

"Note: Lacazette has already served the two-match suspension following Arsenal FC’s Uefa Europa League matches - round of 32 second-leg match against BATE Borisov on February 21, and round of 16 first-leg match against Rennes on March 7."

Julian Finney/GettyImages

Arsenal head into Thursday's clash with a two goal deficit having been defeated 3-1 in France. Sokratis was sent off in that clash, so will be unavailable for the Gunners as they look to book their place in the quarter-finals for the second consecutive season.