, , , and Jurrien Timber had been all absent from Arsenal’s first-team coaching session on Monday forward of their UEFA Champions League recreation towards . Mikel Arteta’s squad took half in an open coaching session as they ready for the second leg of their semi-final showdown towards the Spanish aspect.
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The 4 gamers had been among the many notable absentees, strongly indicating they are going to be unavailable for Tuesday’s recreation in North London. The tie stays finely poised following a 1-1 attract Madrid within the first leg, although the Gunners will really feel aggrieved at failing to safe a bonus after a late penalty for a foul on was overturned.
Arsenal head into the match on the again of a powerful 3-0 win over on the weekend, with Odegaard, Havertz, Merino, and Timber all dominated out of the victory towards the Cottagers, as per .
Together with Timber, Mikel Merino, Martin Odegaard, and Kai Havertz had been additionally not noticed coaching -Credit score:2026 Getty Photographs
There was some confusion final week forward of the primary leg, with Arteta suggesting that Merino had traveled with the squad to Madrid, earlier than strolling again these feedback in his pre-match press convention.
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The prospect of getting Dutch worldwide Timber again within the matchday squad would have been a serious increase, however he was as soon as once more absent from coaching.
Talking forward of the sport towards Fulham, Arteta stated: “Let’s have a look at how everyone is tomorrow morning. Clearly, we have not been capable of prepare a lot, so tomorrow we could have a remaining replace. Kai and Jurrien will probably be out.”
Arteta is scheduled to face the media on Monday, the place he’s anticipated to ship a contemporary damage replace on the gamers who missed the weekend’s fixture and coaching classes.
Havertz limped off throughout the victory over , and whereas Arteta had been hopeful he can be obtainable for the second leg, the German worldwide was nowhere to be discovered at coaching.
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The Gunners boss acknowledged final week: “Hopefully for Atletico, he will probably be obtainable. He is pushing each boundary to realize that.”
There had additionally been optimism surrounding Odegaard’s potential return towards Atleti, but he too was lacking from coaching. Merino, in the meantime, seems set to play no additional half this season. On the Atletico entrance, Diego Simeone’s aspect had been with out Alexander Sorloth and throughout their 2-0 victory over on the weekend.
The Argentinian head coach rotated his squad in preparation for the upcoming recreation towards the Gunners, leaving each forwards as doubts for the tie.