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Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta says he is hopeful of having Kai Havertz back for the second leg of the Champions League semi-final against Atletico Madrid.
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The German international missed the first leg and the league fixture against Fulham with a groin injury he sustained in the first half of the 1-0 win over Newcastle last month.
Arteta has described Havertz as “one of the most important attacking players” in his squad, and his absence over the course of this season has been keenly felt.
There were fears that the forward could be out for another lengthy period with this latest setback, but Arteta says an imminent return is expected:
“He’s been a huge miss – we’re talking about one of the most important attacking players we have, and he’s been out for seven or eight months. ”
“Unfortunately, he’s not been the only one with long-term injuries, and players have been missed. The team has shown an incredible capacity to overcome these kinds of scenarios and still be very, very competitive.”
“The focus right now has to be on availability and performance, and Kai is desperate to be on the pitch as quickly as possible. Hopefully for Atletico, he will be available, and he’s pushing every boundary to achieve that.”
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Havertz’s injuries this season
The 26-year-old has been on the treatment table on three separate occasions during the 2025/26 campaign. He was forced to undergo knee surgery after the opening day win over Manchester United, which kept him out until late December.
Havertz then missed four more games in February with a muscular problem, before this latest injury, which has kept him out for three matches so far.
Other Arsenal injury news
The fitness status of Jurrien Timber remains a mystery. The Dutchman was forced off with ankle and thigh problems against Everton in mid-March, and he has not been seen since then.
Mikel Merino, meanwhile, is still hoping to return before the end of the campaign, having undergone surgery on a fractured foot two and a half months ago.
Read more about the Arsenal First Team Squad for 2025/26 here