Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka should make his first start of 2025 when the Gunners host Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final scrap on Tuesday night.
The England international came off the bench for the second game running in Saturday’s 1-1 Premier League draw with Everton following his hamstring injury, and he is now set to make his long-awaited return to the first XI in a monumental boost to Mikel Arteta.
However, none of Riccardo Calafiori (knee), Gabriel Jesus (knee), Kai Havertz (hamstring), Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee) or Gabriel Magalhaes (hamstring) will be taking part in the first leg, and nor will the suspended Raheem Sterling.
The Chelsea loanee and Leandro Trossard combined for Arsenal’s opener at Goodison Park, but both are at risk of making way here; Gabriel Martinelli will be a straight swap for Sterling on the left-hand side, while Arteta may still side with Mikel Merino up front over Trossard given his physical superiority.
Merino did take a whack to the head against Everton but is expected to be fine to lead the line; he actually started in a deeper role on Saturday but will not do so on Tuesday given Martin Odegaard and Thomas Partey are sure to return alongside Declan Rice.
Further back, both Ben White and Jurrien Timber shook off knocks to make the squad against Everton, where the former was given the nod from the off, but he will likely be sacrificed for the fit-again Timber here.
White and Timber are both options to replace the stricken Gabriel at centre-back, but Jakub Kiwior enjoyed a successful audition at the weekend and has probably done enough to reprise his role with William Saliba.
Kieran Tierney‘s display as a substitute against Everton also caught the eye after Myles Lewis-Skelly gave away the equalising penalty, albeit a very contentious one, and the fearless latter should still be tasked with keeping Rodrygo quiet.
Arsenal possible starting lineup:
Raya; Timber, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly; Odegaard, Partey, Rice; Saka, Merino, Martinelli
> Click here to see how Real Madrid could line up for Tuesday’s game
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