Arsenal take on Sporting CP in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final this evening and Chelsea supporters should be keeping their eye on one player in particular
12:01, 15 Apr 2026Updated 12:01, 15 Apr 2026
Rui Borges and Mikel Arteta
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Rui Borges and Mikel Arteta embrace(Image: Bruno de Carvalho/SOPA Images/LightRocket)
Arsenal will be hoping to reach their second successive Champions League semi-final as they take a 1-0 aggregate lead into the quarter-final second leg with Sporting CP this evening.
After winning via a late Kai Havertz goal in Lisbon last week, the Gunners are big favourites to reach the last four of Europe's elite competition where they will take on one of Bayern Munich or Real Madrid. Sporting, meanwhile, will be hoping to produce a huge shock at the Emirates Stadium and are boosted by the recent return of Geovany Quenda from a long-term injury.
The 18-year-old winger, who will join Chelsea as part of a £40million pre-agreement in the summer, injured his metatarsal in early December and made his return to competitive action at the weekend in the 1-0 win over Estrela, coming on as a substitute. Quenda is in contention to play this evening at the Emirates as the Portuguese winger gets a taste of what is to come next season.
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He has had a bit of that already this year, with Quenda working at Cobham for a few months during his injury rehabilitation. In collaboration with Sporting CP, Chelsea agreed for Quenda to use their high-level training facilities as he got to experience his future home.
Quenda carried out significant strength training while spending time at his future club, football.london understands, as he looks to arrive in the UK in the best possible condition in the summer.
Geovany Quenda
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Geovany Quenda will join Chelsea in the summer(Image: Gualter Fatia)
Quenda often used the gym facilities at Chelsea's training base in Cobham but he also did some work on the grass, usually alongside Caleb Wiley, who was recalled from his loan with Watford in January due to injury.
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Chelsea are preparing Quenda for a more physical league and the teenage winger has already gained several kilos of muscle mass.
Now back in the UK after a short spell in Portugal, Quenda will be hoping to light up the Champions League quarter-final and do his new club a favour by knocking their fierce rivals out of Europe.