{"id":3110,"date":"2026-04-07T04:58:33","date_gmt":"2026-04-07T04:58:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportings.com.ng\/?p=3110"},"modified":"2026-04-07T04:58:33","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T04:58:33","slug":"mikel-arteta-confirms-triple-arsenal-injury-boost-ahead-of-sporting-clash-football","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportings.com.ng\/?p=3110","title":{"rendered":"Mikel Arteta confirms triple Arsenal injury boost ahead of Sporting clash | Football"},"content":{"rendered":"


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\n\t\t\"Arsenal\t<\/div>
Mikel Arteta gave an update on Arsenal\u2019s injury concerns on the eve of the clash with Sporting (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Mikel Arteta has confirmed Gabriel Magalhaes, Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard are all fully fit and available for Arsenal\u2019s Champions League clash with Sporting.<\/p>\n

Gabriel played the full 90 minutes of Arsenal\u2019s\u00a0Carabao Cup\u00a0final loss to\u00a0Manchester City, but\u00a0was forced off with a knee problem in the side\u2019s FA Cup quarter-final defeat to Southampton at the weekend.<\/p>\n

The Brazil centre-back was pictured back in training earlier today, though, and caught the chartered flight to Lisbon with the rest of Arteta\u2019s first-team squad on the eve of the quarter-final first leg.<\/p>\n

Rice had also been a slight doubt for the contest having pulled out of England\u2019s friendlies with Uruguay and Japan during the recent international break.<\/p>\n

But the midfielder appears to have shaken off any concerns over his fitness, along with winger Trossard, who did not make Saturday\u2019s trip to Southampton due to a groin issue.<\/p>\n

\u2018Yes, yes and yes,\u2019 Arteta told reporters when asked if Gabriel, Rice and Trossard were ready to feature against Sporting upon the squad\u2019s arrival in Portugal.<\/p>\n

Tuesday\u2019s match comes to soon for both Jurrien Timber and Bukayo Saka, however, with the duo left out of Arsenal\u2019s travelling party to continue their rehabilitation back home.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"Arsenal\t<\/div>
Gabriel trained with Arsenal before the squad jetted out to Lisbon (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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\n\t\t\"FBL-EUR-C1-ARSENAL-TRAINING\"\t<\/div>
Trossard was also pictured at London Colney (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On Timber and Saka, Arteta explained: \u2018They haven\u2019t travelled and are not ready yet. <\/p>\n

\u2018Hopefully for the weekend if everything goes well.\u2019<\/p>\n

Mikel Merino, the only other absentee for the Gunners, is still some way from his possible comeback after undergoing <\/em>surgery on a foot injury he suffered in January.<\/p>\n

With Arsenal\u2019s squad still hurting after back-to-back defeats in the Carabao Cup and FA Cup, Arteta hopes his players are able to use the \u2018pain\u2019 they have experienced to drive themselves towards something positive.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"FBL-ENG-FACUP-SOUTHAMPTON-ARSENAL\"\t<\/div>
Ex-Sporting striker Gyokeres will be desperate to make an impression against his former club (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018Have some perspective about how difficult what we have done up until now has been,\u2019 the Spaniard said.<\/p>\n

\u2018Feel the pain, use it to improve.<\/p>\n

\u2018We are very clear what happened, why it happened. This is football.\u2019<\/p>\n

Arteta added: \u2018I think what you have to be is clear, understand why it happened. And when you understand that, be better, and that is what we have to do.\u2019<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"BL-EUR-C1-SPORTING-TRAINING\"\t<\/div>
Sporting sealed a spot in the quarter-finals thanks to an incredible comeback against Bodo\/Glimt (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Gunners will be looking to return to the form they showed in their last-16 second leg with Bayer Leverkusen at the Emirates, where goals from Eberechi Eze and Rice either side of half-time proved decisive.<\/p>\n

Their quarter-final opponents, Sporting, had looked to be heading out of Europe\u2019s premier competition after suffering a 3-0 defeat to Bodo\/Glimt in the first leg of their round-of-16 tie.<\/p>\n

But the Portuguese champions completed a stunning fightback in the second leg to win 5-3 on aggregate and advance through.<\/p>\n

\u2018They are in a high moment,\u2019 Arteta said when asked about the threat posed by Sporting.<\/p>\n

\u2018What they did against Paris Saint-Germain (beat PSG 2-1 at home in the group stage in January) and their recent form in the league.\u2019<\/p>\n

For more stories like this,\u00a0check our sport page<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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Arrow<\/title>\n<\/svg>MORE: \u2018Goodnight!\u2019 \u2013 Rio Ferdinand names team that could end Arsenal\u2019s Premier League title charge<\/span><\/p>\n

Arrow<\/title>\n<\/svg>MORE: \u2018It\u2019s laughable\u2019 \u2013 Ian Wright blasts \u2018pathetic\u2019 criticism of Arsenal<\/span><\/p>\n

Arrow<\/title>\n<\/svg>MORE: William Gallas tells Mikel Arteta to replace two Arsenal stars to help Viktor Gyokeres<\/span><\/p>\n

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