THREE STARS STAY HOME: MIKEL ARTETA CONFIRMS ARSENAL SQUAD FOR INTER MILAN SHOWDOWN
Mikel Arteta rules out three key players for Arsenal's trip to Inter Milan. Get the latest on Hincapie and Calafiori’s recovery.
Mikel Arteta has ruled out Piero Hincapie, Riccardo Calafiori, and Max Dowman for Arsenal’s upcoming Champions League match against Inter Milan.
Hincapie, who arrived on loan from Bayer Leverkusen last summer, has missed the last three games with a groin injury. Calafiori hasn’t played since the 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace back in December—he’s out with a muscle problem and has already skipped seven games. Then there’s Max Dowman, the young midfielder, who’s been sidelined since injuring his ankle ligaments in an Under-21 friendly at the start of last month.
All three are still rehabbing and haven’t returned to first-team training, so they won’t be making the trip to Italy. There’s hope they’ll be back soon, but not just yet.
On the brighter side, Arteta says Kai Havertz and Christian Mosquera are fully fit and ready for Tuesday night’s showdown at San Siro. When asked if there were any other updates, he kept it short: “No, that’s all.”
Arteta wanted fans to know the team goes into every game looking to win, no matter how many injuries they’re dealing with. “Every game’s its own story,” he said. “Players are at different stages, but we’ll put out the best line-up and finishers we can to win.”
Inter actually ended Arsenal’s unbeaten European run last season, with Hakan Calhanoglu scoring the winner from the penalty spot. But things look different this time. Inter have a new manager, Cristian Chivu, and Arteta has noticed the changes. “It’s a similar context to last year, even if both teams are in slightly different places now,” he said. “Their new managers put their stamp on them. They’re still a really competitive side, dominating in their league. It’s going to be a tough match.”
When someone brought up whether this game could help build momentum, Arteta didn’t hesitate: “Every Champions League game gives you a chance to achieve something. You have to take it. Tomorrow, we’ll have to earn it against a top side. That’s what we’re preparing for.”
Meanwhile, Viktor Gyokeres had another frustrating afternoon as Arsenal drew 0-0 with Nottingham Forest in the league. Arteta had sympathy for his striker. “It’s tough for all the number nines in the Premier League nowadays,” he said. “The centre-backs are physical, they dominate, and there’s hardly any space for strikers to exploit. But it’s about consistency, going again. We know how hard Viktor works; he’s giving his all, and we’ll keep working with him.”
MARTIN ODEGAARD AND KAI HAVERTZ MISS FINAL TRAINING; CHAMPIONS LEAGUE HOPES FADING
Arsenal's Champions League hopes are in doubt as Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz miss final training ahead of the Atletico tie.
Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz didn’t show up for Arsenal’s open training on Monday, just a day before the crucial Champions League semi-final second leg against Atletico Madrid. Both missed Saturday’s comfortable 3-0 win over Fulham because of injuries: Odegaard with his knee and Havertz with a muscular problem.
Odegaard hurt his knee in last week’s draw with Atletico, while Havertz hasn’t played since picking up an issue against Newcastle. After beating Fulham, Mikel Arteta sounded confident they’d be ready for Atletico, but on Monday neither player was seen with the first team. That’s a big hint they won’t be involved at the Emirates.
Arteta is set to speak to the media soon, though don’t expect him to spill much; he’s known for keeping his cards close to his chest when it comes to team news.
There were a couple more missing faces at London Colney. Jurrien Timber (groin) and Mikel Merino (foot) were also absent. Timber hasn’t featured since before the international break, and it’s unclear when he’ll return, but Arsenal hope it’s before the end of the season. Merino’s been out nearly three months since foot surgery. He might not play again this month.
On the upside, Bukayo Saka was back in training after getting subbed at halftime against Fulham, where he started his first Premier League game since mid-March.
Now, Arsenal really have a headache. Odegaard, who scored 15 goals last season, just hasn’t looked the same. Staff are increasingly worried about him; he’s missed 25 games in all competitions this year, thanks to a pileup of injuries: two freak shoulder issues, two muscular injuries, and the recurring knee problem. When he’s fit, Odegaard can still make magic happen; just look at his four assists across six games in January, but right now, his body keeps letting him down.
Havertz’s story isn’t much brighter. He’s managed only 20 appearances this season, mostly because of a serious knee injury in the summer and more muscle problems afterward. He’s Arsenal’s top earner at £280,000 a week, while Odegaard sits fourth at £240,000. Having two high-paid players sidelined so often is not ideal, and Arsenal need answers.
To try to sort out this ongoing injury crisis, Arteta has reportedly brought in a trusted expert from the medical field to lead an investigation. Arsenal hope this move finally sheds some light on their troubled injury record.
DECLAN RICE ACCUSES REFEREE OF CRUMBLING UNDER PRESSURE IN MADRID PENALTY DRAMA
Arsenal head to the Emirates with a 1-1 draw, but Declan Rice is fuming over the officiating standards in the Champions League.
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Declan Rice didn’t hold back after Arsenal’s 1-1 draw in Madrid, backing Mikel Arteta’s outrage and insisting the team deserved a “clear” penalty. He even went so far as to say that Atlético Madrid’s fans pushed the referee, Danny Makkelie, into changing his mind.
Arteta was livid. Late in the first leg of the Champions League semifinal, Makkelie first pointed to the spot for Arsenal after Eberechi Eze went down. But surrounded by Diego Simeone’s wild sideline antics and the roar of 70,000 Atleti supporters, Makkelie stared at the replay 13 times, then flipped his call and waved play on.
Looking back on it, Rice couldn’t believe it. “It’s a clear penalty,” he said. “I don't know how that's not been given. I think the fans got to him and changed his mind. UEFA is just a different world. In both boxes, you have to be so careful because referees call everything.”
Arsenal ran into trouble with VAR twice. First, the ref ruled Ben White handled a Llorente volley, and Julián Álvarez buried the resulting penalty, cancelling out Viktor Gyökeres’ earlier spot-kick. Rice felt for White. Talking with Stan Sport, he said, “If that happens in the Premier League, it doesn’t get given. The ball’s hardly off the ground, and it’s not even on target. But in the Champions League, the refs make these snap calls and whistle for everything. It’s just more strict. But whatever, we move on. We want to beat them next week.”
Despite the drama, Arsenal is still in a solid spot. They’ll head back to London, hoping the home crowd can push them into their first Champions League final since 2006. Bukayo Saka, freshly back from an Achilles injury, is counting on it. “We’d have liked to win, but we’ll take the draw. It’s halftime, and we’re full of confidence going back to the Emirates,” he said. “I’m sure the atmosphere will be even bigger, and that will give us a real boost.”
Before that return leg, Arsenal face Fulham at home on Saturday. They could put more heat on Manchester City by stretching their Premier League lead, though City still has games in hand and plays Everton next. The race is on.
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