Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is at risk of losing three players to suspension for the second leg of the Gunners’ Champions League quarter-final with Real Madrid at the Bernabeu.
On Tuesday night, the North London giants will host the 15-time European champions for the first time at the Emirates Stadium in a competitive match, seeking a priceless first-leg advantage.
Arteta received the biggest boost he could have possibly received ahead of the contest earlier this month, as Bukayo Saka made his long-awaited return from a hamstring injury last week.
Following back-to-back substitute appearances, Arteta has suggested that Saka is ready to make his first start of 2025 against Los Blancos this week, but six players will not be at his disposal.
Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Magalhaes, Riccardo Calafiori, Kai Havertz and Takehiro Tomiyasu remain out injured, while Raheem Sterling is suspended after picking up three Champions League yellow cards.
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Up until the semi-finals, any player who is booked three times in the Champions League will incur a one-game suspension, and three key Arsenal cogs will be walking a tightrope on Tuesday.
Declan Rice, Gabriel Martinelli and Jurrien Timber are on two yellow cards in the Champions League, meaning that they will be unavailable for the second leg if they are cautioned this week.
All three players are expected to make Arteta’s starting lineup at the Emirates, but they will have to tread carefully lest they risk their side being without as many as eight players at the Bernabeu.
Jesus, Havertz, Tomiyasu and Gabriel are all out for the season, while Calafiori’s knee injury is not expected to settle down in time for him to be involved in the return fixture on April 16.
Rice, Timber and Martinelli all picking up yellow cards on Tuesday night could therefore see Arteta face a mini selection crisis for the second leg, and if Arsenal reach the semi-finals, any player who is booked for the third time in the quarter-final second leg will miss the first leg of the final-four tie.
Jakub Kiwior, Mikel Merino, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Thomas Partey, David Raya and Ben White all fall into that category, having each picked up one caution in the tournament so far, but any yellows that do not lead to a suspension are wiped before the semi-finals.
What could Arsenal’s team look like in the second leg?
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If the worst comes to the worst and Arsenal lose Timber, Rice and Martinelli to suspensions for the second leg, Arteta will be close to the bare bones in defence in particular.
Thankfully for the Gunners boss, White can fill the right-back void left by Timber and thus guarantee a start for Kiwior in the heart of defence alongside William Saliba.
Rice’s prospective ban is a trickier one; the Spaniard could either go with a Martin Odegaard-Partey-Jorginho midfield three, or drop Merino into the engine room as opposed to starting him up front.
However, Merino may have to function in the number nine role if Martinelli is banned, as Leandro Trossard would likely fill in for the Brazilian on the left, unless Sterling makes a shock appearance.
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