Arsenal midfielder Jorginho has been ruled out of Arsenal’s Champions League quarter final second leg against Real Madrid but the Gunners hope Thomas Partey will be fit enough to play.
Mikel Arteta was left counting the cost 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.
According to The Mirror, the Gunners will definitely be without Jorginho at 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 is a distinct possibility that the 33-year-old may have payed his last game for the club with his contract due to expire in June.
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There is more optimism around Partey’s fitness, however, with Arteta desperate to be able to pair the former Atletico Madrid man alongside last week’s man of the match Declan Rice.
The Ghana international knows what it will take to come away from the Bernabeu with a result that would see Arsenal reach what would be only the third Champions League semi-final in their history.
‘I think we’ve experienced this many times when we play here and I think it’s not going to be something different,’ he said.
‘We just have to be confident with the ball and try to play our game.
‘We all know what we have to do. We have to go there with the mentality to win. We want to win every game.
‘And I think we have to play our game, be confident with the ball and also try to find our weaknesses and keep attacking them.’
Those sentiments were echoed by Jakub Kiwior, who has so far deputised superbly for the injured Gabriel Magalhaes and kept Kylian Mbappe quiet at the Emirates a week ago.
‘I didn’t feel nervous,’ said the Poland international after he was drafted into the starting line-up.
‘Of course, this was one of the biggest games in my career. But of course, I had the big game [against Kylian Mbappe] in the national team, but I was ready for everything, and I felt very good before the game.
‘Every clean sheet is perfect for me, because this is my job on the pitch. Mbappe is very quick, he’s a very good player, one of the best strikers for this moment.
‘I have to be ready for everything. Of course Gabi could’ve played this game but he’s injured, and I have to be ready for everything. I didn’t wait for this moment, but I hope he comes back very quick and we can train together fighting for the one position.’