Mathieu Warnier, media365: published on Sunday 04 May 2025 at 4:25 pm
While Arsenal is expected this Wednesday at the Parc des Princes for the semi-final return of the Champions League, doubts multiply around the workforce of the London club with several executives which could be absent.
“PSG the luxury of turning, not us”. This is what Mikel Arteta told the press a few minutes after Arsenal’s defeat this Saturday against Bournemouth. An admission that perfectly illustrates the situation in which the Gunners coach finds himself concerning the workforce which is at his disposal at the end of the season. Already deprived for a long duration of players such as Gabriel Magalhães, Ricardo Calafiori, Kai Havertz or Gabriel Jesus, the Spanish technician saw a little more clouds are piling up over his head. Indeed, this Saturday, two players gave worrying signs four days from a crucial trip to the Parc des Princes in the Champions League. Holder during the first round lost to PSG last Tuesday, Jurriën Timber did not take part in the meeting against Bournemouth due to a blow pushing to show precaution. It was thus Ben White who replaced him in the right rear position at the start of this meeting. Asked about the possibility of seeing the Dutch international in the group for the semi-final return to the capital’s club, Mikel Arteta to concede doubt that this is possible.
A doubt about Ødegaard
” Confident ? For the moment, no, because he has not been able to play on Saturday and we replay in four days, “said the Arsenal coach at a press conference about his right side. Regarding the case of Martin Ødegaard, seeing him leave the lawn of the Emirates Stadium by limiting after 90 minutes. “I have not yet had the opportunity to speak to the doctor to give me news, so I don’t know,” added the Spanish technician about his captain, closing any door about him. While Thomas Parte’s suspension return will be excellent news for Arsenal, being a player capable of upsetting the Gunners’ game according to Robert Pirès, these two additional potential absences should cause a few headaches to Mikel Arteta when defining his starting eleven to hope to overthrow PSG on his lawn and go and seek a second Champions League final after the one lost to the Champions League 2006 at the Stade de France.
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