Arsenal could welcome a key attacker back into the starting XI for their Premier League clash against Chelsea. The Gunners sealed their place in the Champions League quarter-finals earlier this week having beaten PSV 9-3 on aggregate.
Real Madrid now await Mikel Arteta's side in the next round, but three league games arrive before then, starting with the visit of Chelsea. Though Liverpool seem to be Premier League champions-elect, Arsenal can close the gap to 12 points as the Reds play in the Carabao Cup final against Newcastle.
Having made wholesale changes against Dutch opposition on Wednesday evening, several Arsenal stars will likely come back into the starting XI including Martin Odegaard and William Saliba. Martinelli is another that could be given the nod from the off having been limited to cameos since returning from injury earlier this month.
During the defeat to Newcastle, Martinelli joined Bukayo Saka as an absentee with a hamstring issue, but one that was far less severe. Kai Havertz was also stricken by a similar problem and thus surgery was required to fix it with Saka having also gone under the knife in late 2024.
While Havertz is unlikely to feature again this season, Saka is on track to play again in this campaign. A return to full training for the 23-year-old is expected within the next month which certainly places him in contention to feature in the quarter-final tie against Real Madrid.
Arteta will be hoping to integrate Saka back into his squad following the March international break either at home to Fulham on April 1 and away to Everton just a few days later. Some involvement in those fixtures could see Saka back in the starting XI for the first leg at Emirates Stadium or potentially the following week in Madrid.
Gabriel Jesus meanwhile, is not expected back until pre-season after he suffered an ACL injury during the FA Cup third round defeat to Manchester United in January. Takehiro Tomiyasu is another recovering from a long-term issue with the club hoping to have him back later this year.
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Arsenal Manager Mikel Arteta, Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Jesus with the Arsenal Therapy Dog Win during the Arsenal Men's team group shoot at London Colney on September 18, 2023
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