Arsenal star Noni Madueke's availability is in doubt for the UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg after picking up an injury during the ongoing international break. The Gunners are set to face Sporting CP in the quarter-final first leg on April 7.
Noni Madueke had to be substituted off after he picked up a knock during England's 1-1 draw against Uruguay last week. He went down after a collision with Uruguay's Rodrigo Aguirre (38') and had to be replaced by Jarrod Bowen. The 24-year-old was spotted with a knee brace on his injured left leg after the game in the media zone, raising concerns about his condition. With Arsenal at a crucial point in the season, Madueke's injury could prove to be vital.
According to The Athletic, Noni Madueke's injury is considered to be less serious than expected as of now. However, the Gunners star is set to miss two important games, including the FA Cup quarter-final against Southampton and the Champions League quarter-final first leg against Sporting.
Noni Madueke hasn't been a key starter for Mikel Arteta since signing for Arsenal in the summer of 2025 from Chelsea. Bukayo Saka remains a guaranteed starter for the Gunners, with Madueke starting only 12 Premier League games out of 30. However, things could get complicated if Saka is also unavailable for the two upcoming games.
Latest reports confirm that two of Mikel Arteta's most important soldiers, Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice, have both left the international friendlies because they were in discomfort and required medical assessment. While it appears to be a precautionary measure, it could prove fatal if further serious concerns come up about their fitness.
England boss Thomas Tuchel provides update on Arsenal stars Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice's injury scares
Speaking to reporters ahead of England's friendly clash against Japan, coach Thomas Tuchel confirmed that Arsenal duo Saka and Rice felt discomfort during their international duty. He said (via The Athletic):
"They (Saka and Rice) had medical assessments. Just to get the narrative straight: they desperately wanted to play. They wanted desperately to be involved. It made just no sense to take this risk. If it had been maybe the last game of the season, we would have kept them and tried everything."
He continued:
"But in this moment of the season, it did not make sense. The risk for making it worse was just way too big. They were both in discomfort, clearly in discomfort, when we did the medical assessment. So it made absolutely no sense that they stayed."
Both Saka and Rice had joined the England squad after their 1-1 draw against Uruguay. However, they felt discomfort during a training session over the weekend and travelled back to England. Further updates about their physical condition and availability for Arsenal's next games are awaited.
Meanwhile, Gunners star Martin Zubimendi was also removed from the Spain squad after he felt discomfort. He came off the bench during Spain's 3-0 win over Serbia last week but will miss the next game against Egypt due to knee discomfort. As such, Arsenal will hope all their players are fit in time for the FA Cup and UCL quarter-finals.