Arsenal handed fresh injury scare as five miss training ahead of Sporting | Football

Arsenal without quite a lot of players in training (Picture: Getty)

Declan Rice missed Arsenal training ahead of the Gunners’ Champions League showdown with Sporting CP.

The midfielder was not spotted among the many group preparing for Wednesday’s quarter-final second leg against the Portuguese giants on the Emirates.

Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber, who’ve missed Arsenal’s three games for the reason that end of the international break, were also not seen, together with Martin Odegaard and Riccardo Calafiori.

Those absences won’t only be an enormous concern for Wednesday night but in addition for Sunday when the Gunners head to the Eithad for a season-defining Premier League showdown with Manchester City.

City can reduce the gap on the league leaders to only three points with a game still in hand with a victory.

Rice withdrew from international duty in March, sitting out of Arsenal’s first game back of their FA Cup defeat to Southampton.

He played the complete 90 minutes in last week’s first leg in Lisbon and in Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth.

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Arsenal and Manchester City fixtures graphic Picture: Metro
The Premier League run-in could have several twists and turns (Picture: Metro)
Arsenal v Bournemouth - Premier League
Rice expected to be a doubt for Wednesday’s game (Picture: Getty Images)

The England international has missed only one game through injury this season.

Saka withdrew from the England camp alongside his teammate in March but has not featured since.

Mikel Arteta had been hopeful his winger would return against the Cherries last Saturday but that match got here too soon for the winger.

LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 22: Bukayo Saka of Arsenal looks on during the Carabao Cup Final match Arsenal and between Manchester City at Wembley Stadium on March 22, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Saka still to return to training (Picture: Getty)

Timber meanwhile has not played for the reason that victory over Everton on 14 March attributable to a groin problem.

Odegaard began each games against Southampton and Sporting but was not involved against Bournemouth along with his international manager Stale Solbakken revealing the midfielder had suffered a ‘minor setback.’

Arteta will speak to the media later this afternoon where he can be expected to supply further updates on his stars.

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