Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi will return to the Arsenal starting lineup when they take on Sporting CP at the Jose Alvalade Stadium on Tuesday.
Arsenal will aim to take a step closer to the UEFA Champions League semi-finals when they lock horns with Sporting CP in the first leg of their quarter-final tie at the Jose Alvalade Stadium on Tuesday night. Mikel Arteta has received positive updates on the team news front ahead of his side’s latest fixture.
Gabriel Magalhaes, Declan Rice, and Leandro Trossard are fit and available to take on Sporting CP in the midweek Champions League clash. However, Jurrien Timber and Bukayo Saka remain on the sidelines, and the duo will not be ready to return on Tuesday.
Mikel Merino is the long-term absentee for the away side as he continues to recover from a foot injury. Meanwhile, during his pre-match press conference, Arteta provided fitness updates on Timber and Saka.
The Arsenal manager said, “No, they’re having trouble, they’re not ready yet. Let’s see, hopefully they’re going to be ready for the weekend, if everything goes well, and that’s a massive boost because in recent days we’ve lost so many important players and that’s something that we need to change immediately.”
A significant talking point has been Viktor Gyokeres’s return to his former club. Arteta addressed the topic, saying, “I think he’s very excited. Obviously, he’s full of gratitude for his time here. The way he talks about the club, the players, the staff, everybody around the club. The experience that he had, how important that part of his journey in Sporting has been. And now it’s Arsenal, it’s a quarter-final of the Champions League, he’s never played at this level in the competition and obviously you can imagine what it means to him.”
David Raya will replace Kepa Arrizabalaga between the sticks, with Arsenal lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him against Sporting CP on Tuesday. The backline will feature Ben White, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, and Riccardo Calafiori.
As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi in the double pivot, with the duo returning to the starting lineup. Martin Odegaard will reprise the no. 10 role, with Noni Madueke and Leandro Trossard being the two wide attackers. Finally, Viktor Gyokeres will lead the line for the away side against Sporting CP. So, Max Dowman and Kai Havertz will be among the backup options on the bench.
Predicted Arsenal XI: Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Zubimendi, Rice; Madueke, Odegaard, Trossard; Gyokeres
