Unfortunately for Arsenal, they will now be sweating on the fitness of Thomas Partey ahead of their second leg with Real Madrid in the Champions League.
Amid a host of changes for Arsenal against Brentford, Mikel Arteta opted to start Partey at right back to give Jurrien Timber a rest.
Ben White has picked up another injury and Arsenal simply couldn’t afford to lose Timber who recently returned from some lengthy illness himself.
But in line with Arsenal’s luck this season, Partey needed to come off for Timber in the 69th minute of the Gunners’ 1-1 draw with Brentford, a game in which the 31-year-old scored the home side’s only goal.
Partey could be crucial for Arsenal away in Spain next Wednesday if he is fit, a player who has amassed 163 appearances in La Liga so far in his career, and has faced Real Madrid 14 times in all competitions.
Thomas Partey’s message to Arsenal teammates before traveling to Real Madrid
That being said, Partey was asked what he had been telling his Arsenal teammates about playing at Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu in an interview with the club’s official website.
Partey was speaking immediately after drawing with Brentford and seemed in pretty good spirits despite his injury issue, which is perhaps a good sign.
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And in terms of his message for his Arsenal teammates ahead of the unique atmosphere Wednesday’s game in Spain will bring, Partey said he was keen that his side still played their ‘game’.
Partey said: “I think we’ve experienced this many times when we play here and I think it’s not going to be something different
“We just have to be confident with the ball and try to play our game.
“We all know what we have to do. We have to go there with the mentality to win. We want to win every game.
“And I think we have to play our game, be confident with the ball and also try to find our weaknesses and keep attacking them.”
Mikel Arteta’s Thomas Partey injury update
Speaking himself shortly after the 1-1 draw with Brentford, Arteta was asked to give an update on Partey’s injury.
And although he perhaps suggested that it was a precaution, he confessed that he wouldn’t know the extent of the issue until he spoke to the club’s doctors.
Arteta said: “We didn’t expect the issue with Thomas that we had to take him out. He felt something so we didn’t want to take any risks.
“We don’t know [the diagnosis], I haven’t spoken to the doctors yet. So they will check him now and see how he is.”
In terms of a positive note ahead of facing Madrid, Andrea Berta wants to agree a new contract with Bukayo Saka as soon as possible, another Arsenal star who will be crucial in midweek.
