Arsenal are facing a number of injury concerns ahead of Tuesday night’s Champions League quarter-final first leg against Sporting Lisbon.
Mikel Arteta gives update on Arsenal’s injury concerns (Image: Rene Nijhuis/Getty Images)
Mikel Arteta has been given a major fitness boost ahead of Arsenal’s game week.
Arsenal face Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League first leg on Tuesday night. Just four days later, they face Bournemouth with a chance to move 12 points clear at the top of the Premier League.
Brazil defender Gabriel was substituted off in Saturday night’s 2-1 defeat to Southampton and was deemed fit to face Sporting, while Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard also traveled to Portugal.
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The injury news is also positive heading into the weekend, with Bukayo Saka and Julian Timber also hoping to return for the game against Bournemouth after injury layoffs. Arteta said of Saka and Timber: “They haven’t traveled yet, they’re not ready, but hopefully they’ll be out at the weekend if everything goes well.”
Arsenal are also without long-term players Eberechi Eze and Mikel Merino due to calf and foot injuries respectively.
Arsenal lost back-to-back games to Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final and lost to Southampton in the FA Cup on Saturday.
Strangely, they have never beaten a Portuguese team away in a European finals tournament. Sporting are aiming to reach the Champions League semi-finals for the first time in their history. Arteta added: “What Sporting have achieved at home is remarkable and you have to be very good to achieve that kind of consistency.”
Bukayo Saka has not traveled to Portugal (Image: PA)
Arsenal were eliminated from the FA Cup by Championship side Southampton on Saturday night, their second consecutive defeat after losing to Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final before the international break.
Asked about the defeat at St Mary’s Stadium, Arteta said: “I want you to have some perspective on how difficult it was for us to do what we did. Feel the pain and use it to improve. We are very clear about what happened and why. This is football.”
He added: “I think we’ll have a chance when we get the chance during the season. We’ll focus on the press and what we have to do. I hope we understand clearly what got us here.”
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