Arsenal midfielder Jorginho has been ruled out of Arsenal’s Champions League quarter final second leg against Real Madrid however the Gunners hope Thomas Partey shall be fit enough to play.
Mikel Arteta was left counting the fee of his team selection following Saturday’s 1-1 draw against Brentford which left his two most experienced central midfielders carrying injuries.
The Arsenal manager’s engine room options are already limited given Mikel Merino has been used as an emergency striker since January following the season-ending injuries sustained by Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus.
Based on The Mirror, the Gunners will certainly be without Jorginho on the Bernabeu given the severity of the chest injury he sustained against the Bees.
Arsenal hope the Italy international could feature again this term but there may be a definite possibility that the 33-year-old can have payed his last game for the club along with his contract as a result of expire in June.
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There may be more optimism around Partey’s fitness, nevertheless, with Arteta eager to find a way to pair the previous Atletico Madrid man alongside last week’s man of the match Declan Rice.
The Ghana international knows what it’ll take to come back away from the Bernabeu with a result that might see Arsenal reach what could be only the third Champions League semi-final of their history.
‘I feel we’ve experienced this repeatedly once we play here and I feel it’s not going to be something different,’ he said.
‘We just should be confident with the ball and take a look at to play our game.
‘Everyone knows what we’ve got to do. Now we have to go there with the mentality to win. We wish to win every game.
‘And I feel we’ve got to play our game, be confident with the ball and likewise try to search out our weaknesses and keep attacking them.’
Those sentiments were echoed by Jakub Kiwior, who has up to now deputised superbly for the injured Gabriel Magalhaes and kept Kylian Mbappe quiet on the Emirates per week ago.
‘I didn’t feel nervous,’ said the Poland international after he was drafted into the starting line-up.
‘After all, this was one in all the largest games in my profession. But in fact, I had the massive game [against Kylian Mbappe] within the national team, but I used to be ready for the whole lot, and I felt superb before the sport.
‘Every clean sheet is ideal for me, because that is my job on the pitch. Mbappe may be very quick, he’s a superb player, among the best strikers for this moment.
‘I actually have to be ready for the whole lot. After all Gabi could’ve played this game but he’s injured, and I actually have to be ready for the whole lot. I didn’t wait for this moment, but I hope he comes back very quick and we will train together fighting for the one position.’
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