Arsenal host Bayer Leverkusen in the second leg of their Champions League round of 16 on Tuesday after drawing 1-1 with the Bundesliga club last week.
Julian Timber and Martin Odegaard are both absent (Image: David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Manager Mikel Arteta has confirmed that Martin Odegaard and Julian Timber will both miss Arsenal’s biggest chance in the Champions League against Bayer Leverkusen. However, in a boost, Leandro Trossard has returned to training and is expected to play in the Round of 16 match.
Defender Timber was forced off with an injury during the first half of Arsenal’s dramatic 2-0 home win over Everton on Saturday. Meanwhile, captain Odegaard has missed the Gunners’ last five games with a knee injury.
The pair missed training for Tuesday’s second leg and both will be absent as the Gunners look to build on last week’s 1-1 draw in Germany thanks to Kai Havertz’s late penalty.
“Yes, both players are absent,” Arteta said in his pre-match press conference. The Arsenal manager added of Trossard, who took part in training on Monday: “He’s fine, he felt good.”
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Odegaard and Timber face a race against time to be available for Sunday’s Carabao Cup final against Manchester City. Arteta said Timber’s injury was “a matter of a few days” but Odegaard was “really trying”.
There was also good news for Ben White, who was left on the bench despite Timber’s injury. Cristian Mosquera came on as a substitute at right-back, but White didn’t look fully fit on Saturday.
“He’s in much better shape now,” Arteta said. “He was very unlucky. He has been training today and feels good.”
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Leandro Trossard will be available on Tuesday (Image: David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
With Sunday’s final looming, Arsenal’s priority is progressing in the Champions League. The Gunners performed below average in the first leg, with Leverkusen taking the lead early in the second half.
A controversial penalty gave Havertz a chance to equalize against his former club, and he calmly took the spot-kick. Havertz started against Everton but was replaced after an hour by Victor Gokeres, and his 89th-minute goal put Arsenal ahead at the Emirates.
The Gunners completed the victory with a goal from Max Dorman, who was introduced to the Premier League at the age of 16. Arteta is keen to look after Dauman and has stressed the importance of keeping his feet on the ground.
“I think we clearly have a leadership group,” the Gunners manager explained. “The most important thing is family. He takes that very normally.”
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