Mikel Arteta has provided an update on the latest injuries at Arsenal ahead of the Champions League quarter-final first leg against Sporting on Tuesday night
Amie Wilson Sports writer and Bruna Reis Senior Sports Journalist
20:08, 06 Apr 2026Updated 20:09, 06 Apr 2026
Bukayo Saka
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Bukayo Saka will miss Arsenal's Champions League clash with Sporting (Image: Getty Images)
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has delivered a triple injury update with Gabriel Magalhaes, Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard all available for selection for the Champions League quarter-final clash at Sporting Clube de Portugal. There was, however, confirmation that Jurrien Timber and Bukayo Saka will not be ready for the match.
Arsenal face the Portuguese giants in the opening leg of the quarter-final on Tuesday evening (8pm kick-off), with the return leg scheduled just over a week later at the Emirates Stadium. Prior to the fixture, there were fitness concerns surrounding Gabriel, Rice, Saka, Piero Hincapie, Jurrien Timber and Leandro Trossard.
Eberechi Eze and Mikel Merino are sidelined for the tie through injury. When questioned in his pre-match press conference about whether Gabriel, Rice and Trossard were fit for the game, Arteta responded: "Yes, yes and yes."
Eberechi Eze during an Arsenal game
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Eberechi Eze will miss Arsenal's clash against Sporting CP(Image: Getty Images)
However, providing an update on Timber and Saka, the Arsenal manager added: "They haven't travelled in yet, let's see, hopefully they're going to be ready for the weekend, if everything goes well.
"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."
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Timber has been battling injury for the past three weeks, and appeared to be in contention for a comeback against Southampton. Yet he wasn't named in the squad for the FA Cup encounter, with attention now turning to a potential weekend return ahead of the second leg.
It proved a similar scenario for Saka, who was missing from the squad against Southampton after cutting short his England duties. He will now be absent for the first leg versus Sporting.
One player who is anticipated to feature in the starting lineup is striker Viktor Gyokeres, who will face his previous club. The forward moved to Arsenal from Sporting in a transfer valued at approximately £55 million during the summer window.
Arteta has disclosed that he has held discussions with Gyokeres to gain valuable intelligence about Arsenal's opposition.
"Of course I did, to understand the dynamics the culture and to have more information about them that we can use in our favour," he added.
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"A lot of qualities, what they are doing is remarkable. The record they have at home is amazing."
Speaking about how the Gyokeres deal materialised, Arteta explained: "He's been on the radar for years, but more recent moments when we look at it, he was one of the top targets was around December of last year.
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"When we had the issue with Kai [Havertz], and he became one of the main candidates."
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