Mikel Arteta has confirmed that Arsenal will be without Bukayo Saka and Jurriën Timber for Tuesday’s Champions League quarterfinal against Sporting CP. However, it wasn’t all bad news on the injury front.
The previously doubtful trio of Declan Rice, Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Magalhães were all fit enough to take part in Arteta’s unorthodox open training session on Monday in preparation for the trip to Lisbon. All three had been part of the mass international exodus over the March break, with Rice and Trossard both sitting out Saturday’s limp FA Cup defeat to Southampton.
Gabriel started the underwhelming 2–1 reverse before limping off after requiring treatment on a problematic knee. Arteta was in no mood to give a detailed diagnosis on his returning stars, answering the question of whether they would return with one curt word: “Yes.”
However, there are still some key names missing for the upcoming European tie.
Bukayo Saka
Bukayo Saka
Bukayo Saka has been sidelined. | Catherine Ivill/AMA/Getty Images
Injury: Knock
Return date: April 11 (vs. Bournemouth)
Saka’s confirmed absence is a blow to the Gunners but Arteta was still keen to look at the positive. “Hopefully they’re going to be ready for the weekend, if everything goes well,” the Spanish boss mused, looking ahead to Saturday’s Premier League clash with Bournemouth.
“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.”
Arsenal boasts plenty of depth down the right flank. There’s an argument to be made that Saka doesn’t even warrant first-choice status when compared to Noni Madueke, who will serve as an able deputy in Portugal. Max Dowman has only been afforded 18 minutes of Champions League action this season but could be treated to another cameo in Saka’s absence.
Jurriën Timber
Jurriën Timber
Jurriën Timber has been dealing with an injury for weeks. | Ulrik Pedersen/NurPhoto/Getty Images
Injury: Ankle
Return date: April 11 (vs. Bournemouth)
While not as high profile as Saka, Timber’s unavailability could be even more decisive. The deceptively influential right back has missed Arsenal’s last three matches with a sprained ankle—and it’s perhaps no coincidence that two of them ended in defeat.
Fortunately for Ben White, he may not be overworked as Sporting CP’s attack is tilted towards the right flank. Only two teams in the Champions League this season have funneled fewer of their attacks towards the opposition’s right back than the Portuguese champions. However, that creates an issue for Arsenal’s left back understudy.
Piero Hincapié
Piero Hincapié
Piero Hincapié was an Arsenal casualty of the international break. | Izzy Poles/AMA/Getty Images
Injury: Hamstring
Return date: April 11 (vs. Bournemouth)
Arteta was not asked about Piero Hincapié’s involvement, yet his absence from the team-building training session doesn’t inspire much hope.
Hincapié pulled up during the second half of Ecuador’s friendly against Morocco at the end of March with a hamstring injury which never looked anywhere near as “suspicious” as some of Arsenal’s other withdrawals.
Eberechi Eze
Eberechi Eze
Eberechi Eze is racing to return before the end of the season. | Vince Mignott/DeFodi Images/Getty Images
Injury: Calf
Return date: April 25 (vs. Newcastle)
Arsenal will have to make it through to the semifinals if Eze is to have any hope of appearing in the competition again. The ever-improving attacking midfielder had his campaign derailed by a calf injury on the cusp of the Carabao Cup final which is set to linger until the end of April at the earliest.
Eze had belatedly blossomed into the game-breaking player Arsenal thought they were signing last summer, injecting a maverick edge to the squad’s measured approach.
Mikel Merino
Mikel Merino writhing in agony.
Mikel Merino’s Arsenal career began with an injury. | JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP/Getty Images
Injury: Foot
Return date: World Cup
Mikel Merino’s Arsenal career has been defined by injuries—for him and others. The 2024 recruit fractured his shoulder in his first training session for the club. Once he managed to get on the pitch, an injury crisis in Arsenal’s frontline forced him into an unorthodox center forward role to end his debut campaign.
Arteta’s Swiss army knife was thriving back in midfield this season before a “very rare” bone injury in his foot. Merino’s timeline has varied wildly but it appears unlikely that he will make a major impact at club level before the season’s conclusion. Making Spain’s World Cup roster appears to be his ultimate goal.
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