Mikel Arteta has provided the latest on three of Arsenal‘s injured troops ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League semi-final first leg showdown with Paris Saint-Germain.
While Luis Enrique‘s men head to the Emirates with a clean bill of health for the mammoth encounter, a handful of Gunners will be watching on helplessly from the treatment room or the naughty step.
Thomas Partey is suspended for the first leg on account of the milestone yellow card he picked up against Real Madrid in the second leg of their quarter-final tie, while Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Magalhaes, Kai Havertz, Jorginho and Takehiro Tomiyasu are long-term absentees.
However, the Gunners received a double training boost on Monday afternoon, as both Mikel Merino and Ben White were captured on video in team training following minor issues.
White and Merino missed last week’s 2-2 Premier League draw with Crystal Palace due to a knee problem and knock respectively, while Riccardo Calafiori‘s own knee issue is still giving him grief.
Arteta coy on White, Merino involvement against PSG
Speaking to the media in his pre-game press conference, Arteta typically refused to guarantee either White or Merino’s starting availability, but he did confirm that Calafiori is still not fit.
“We know that we lost Thomas Partey unfortunately very late in the game against Real Madrid [to suspension],” he told reporters. “Ben White and Mikel Merino were able to train and we will see if they are able to start tomorrow. Riccardo Calafiori is still not fit.”
White is not expected to force his way into the starting lineup over Jurrien Timber or Jakub Kiwior, but the England international would be a wild-card option in midfield if Merino is not available.
With neither Jorginho nor Partey available, Declan Rice will likely have to operate as the number six, with one of Merino, Myles Lewis-Skelly or Oleksandr Zinchenko in the left eight role depending on the former’s fitness.
However, the signs are promising when it comes to Merino’s fitness for the first leg, where both Arsenal and PSG will be more desperate than ever to put one foot in the final and edge closer to a first-ever Champions League title.
Arteta issues rallying cry to Arsenal fans before PSG tie
If the Emirates atmosphere against Real Madrid was raucous, Arteta has issued a rallying cry to supporters to make their home even more hostile for PSG, adding: “Tomorrow more.
“I told them and I’m not exaggerating when I said, guys, bring your boots, bring your shorts, bring your t-shirts and let’s play every ball together. We want to do something special, that place has to be something special, something that we haven’t seen.
“And I really hope that everybody that comes tomorrow to the Emirates and everybody that is watching and following us, brings that energy with them.”
Arsenal will be competing in their third different Champions League semi-final in this season’s competition, while PSG have already competed in the last four in four previous European Cup campaigns.
However, Les Parisiens’ history in Champions League semi-finals does not favour the French champions, who head to the Emirates having lost their first Ligue 1 game of the season to Nice on Friday night.
No Data Analysis info
