Arsenal face Paris Saint-Germain in the second leg of the Champions League semifinal on May 7, at Parc des Princes.
The Gunners were on the receiving end of a 1-0 loss at the Emirates in the first leg last week, with Ousmane Dembele finding the back of the net just four minutes into the clash.
Arsenal are making the trip to Paris in hopes of turning their one-goal deficit into a win to advance to the Champions League final for the first time since 2005-06. However, they will be without several key players as they have a total of six stars sidelined with injuries.
The Gunners’ list of injured players includes Gabriel Jesus, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Magalhaes, Riccardo Calafiori, and Jorginho. With starters missing in action ahead of a match of such magnitude, Mikel Arteta will need to be creative with his selections.
What did Mikel Arteta say?
In an interview with ESPN, Arteta was asked to share his thoughts on the list of outstanding injuries in his squad with the Champions League semifinal upcoming. The Spanish manager addressed the absentees but claimed that he remains ‘very optimistic’ about Arsenal’s chances.
“Look, when I was going through the tunnel, I see [Takehiro] Tomiyasu out, [Riccardo] Calafiori out, Gabriel Magalhães out, Kai Havertz out, Gabriel Jesus out, Thomas Partey out, Jorginho out. Starters!” he said.
“And I see the team compete and I get goosebumps. Because we have a lot of merit and yet the game was by very, very, very small margins that weren’t on our side that day. That’s why I’m very optimistic,” added Arteta.
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When asked about his feelings ahead of the match, Arteta maintained he has full belief in his squad, claiming the opportunity is one you would ‘give your life for.’
“Excitement, goosebumps, wanting the day to arrive, [the feeling] of being very prepared, very convinced and knowing that the opportunity is to play in a Champions [League] final. And when you get to that point, you have to give your life for it.”
Both Arsenal and PSG are yet to lift the Champions League trophy, and an intense fight to secure a spot in the competition’s final is anticipated on Wednesday night.
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