Sporting CP will be without a number of key players in their Champions League quarter-final first leg against Arsenal, in what looks a big boost for Mikel Arteta's side.
Sporting vs Arsenal team news
Declan Rice has handed Arsenal a significant injury boost for the opening leg of their Champions League quarter-final in Lisbon.
The England international, who was absent for his side’s shock FA Cup demise at Southampton, joined his team-mates in training at the club’s London Colney headquarters on Monday.
Declan-Rice-Arsenal-Leverkusen
Defender Gabriel, unable to continue at St Mary’s with a knee injury on Saturday night, also participated in training, in another encouraging development for Arteta’s side.
However, Bukayo Saka, who alongside Rice pulled out of England’s friendly against Japan last week, was not involved in training, and both he and Jurrien Timber are unlikely to feature.
Sporting have their own problems to deal with however - their captain, Morten Hjulmand will not play due to suspension.
The tough tackling midfielder, who has long been linked with a move to the Premier League, famously has a Gunners tattoo on his shoulder.
The hosts will also be without three key players due to injury, including starting left-back Nuno Santos.
Fotis Ioannidis and Luís Guilherme, both important rotation options in their attack, will miss out as well.
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Arteta says Arsenal not panicking after back to back defeats
Arteta insisted he is not pressing the panic button as he vowed to banish the “pain” of two consecutive defeats which have left Arsenal’s season sitting on a knife edge.
The defeats to Manchester City and Southampton marked the first time this season that the Gunners have suffered back-to-back losses and raises serious questions about the club’s winning mentality at the business end of the campaign.
But Arteta, whose side still hold a nine-point lead in the Premier League, insisted: “What you have to be is clear. Instead of panic, understand if that happens, why it happened, and bring clarity. And when you analyse that and you accept that, you will be better. That’s it, and that’s the thing that we have to do.
“Have some perspective on how difficult it is. Feel that pain, feel that emotion, and use it to be better and to improve. There are a few things that we have discussed internally, and I’m very convinced that tomorrow we’re going to see that.
“I know what it means to them, and I know how much they want it. Now is the moment to show it, and we have to do it tomorrow at the highest level. We are hungrier than ever, very excited and very, very motivated.”