Riccardo Calafiori and Piero Hincapie were both absent from this afternoon’s open training session as Arsenal completed their preparations for tomorrow’s Champions League clash with Inter Milan.
The pair are nursing muscular issues. Calafiori has not featured since the Carabao Cup win over Crystal Palace on 23 December, while Hincapie was forced off during the goalless draw with Liverpool 11 days ago. At this stage, there is no clear timeline for either player’s return, although Mikel Arteta could shed light on the situation when he faces the media tonight.
In their absence, Myles Lewis-Skelly was trusted at left-back for the FA Cup win over Portsmouth but has since made way for Jurrien Timber, who shifted across from right-back for the Carabao Cup victory at Chelsea and Saturday’s draw with Nottingham Forest. Ben White has provided cover on the right in Timber’s absence, though Cristhian Mosquera is now back in contention after returning from a six-week ankle lay-off.
Arsenal travel to Italy sitting top of their Champions League group with a perfect record after six matches. Victory over Inter, who currently lie sixth, would secure a top-two finish and home advantage in the second legs of the last 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals, should the Gunners progress.
The sides met at the San Siro last season, where Inter edged a 1–0 win. Arsenal’s most recent home meeting with the Nerazzurri came in November 2003, when the Gunners ran out emphatic 5–1 winners.