Why has Arsenal's Europa League match in Portugal been moved to a Wednesday?

The match against Vitoria will take place at 7.50pm UAE time on Wednesday, November 6, a day earlier than the other 23 Europa League group fixtures

epa07947650 Gabriel Martinelli (L) of Arsenal in action against Mikel Agu of Vitoria SC during the UEFA Europa League Group F match between Arsenal London and Vitoria Guimaraes in London, Britain, 24 October 2019.  EPA/WILL OLIVER
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Arsenal's Europa League match away to Vitoria will take place at an unusual time to help avoid traffic congestion in Portugal.

The match in Guimaraes will take place at 7.50pm UAE time on Wednesday, November 6, a day earlier than the other 23 Europa League group fixtures.

Europa League ties are normally played on a Thursday evening as to not clash with midweek Champions League fixtures.

Uefa, European football's governing body, took the decision as Vitoria's Portuguese rivals Braga host Turkish side Besiktas at the Municipal Stadium on Thursday, 24 kilometres from Vitoria's home ground, the Estadio Afonso Henriques.

As well as kicking off a day early, the match will start at an unusually early time so as to not clash with Wednesday's Champions League matches.

Arsenal won last month's corresponding fixture against Vitoria 3-2 to go top of Group F.

Vitoria's group game with Standard Liege with also take place on a Wednesday, moving from November 28 to November 27.