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Arsenal’s Champions League dream has hit a rough patch, with five key players confirmed to miss their high-stakes quarter-final clash against Real Madrid tomorrow. It’s a massive blow for Mikel Arteta’s side, especially as they face the reigning European champions at such a critical point in the season.
The timing couldn’t be worse. Just as Arsenal look to make a historic push toward the Champions League semi-finals for the first time in over a decade, the squad has been rocked by injuries to some of its most influential names.
Gabriel MagalhaesThe latest on the list is Gabriel Magalhaes, a central figure in Arsenal’s solid backline this season. The Brazilian defender picked up a hamstring injury in their Premier League game against Fulham last week and has now been ruled out for the rest of the campaign. His absence leaves a glaring hole in defence that won’t be easy to fill.
Kai HavertzAlso unavailable is Kai Havertz, another regular starter who has contributed heavily in midfield and attack. The German international is sidelined with a similar hamstring injury, forcing Arteta to reshuffle his midfield options and lean more heavily on players like Leandro Trossard.
Takehiro Tomiyasu, Gabriel Jesus, CalafioriTakehiro Tomiyasu and Gabriel Jesus are both long-term absentees as well. Tomiyasu has been ruled out with a knee injury, while Jesus continues to recover from an ACL problem, an issue that has kept him out for several weeks and will keep him out for the rest of the season.
Meanwhile, Riccardo Calafiori is the only one on the list who hasn’t been officially shut down for the season, but he’s highly unlikely to feature in tomorrow’s game due to lingering fitness concerns.
What’s next for Arteta?With so many first-team names missing, Mikel Arteta faces a major tactical test. He’ll need to rely on the depth of his squad and make some bold decisions to stand toe-to-toe with one of Europe’s most formidable sides.
In defence, William Saliba is expected to be paired with Jakub Kiwior in the heart of the backline, a pairing that showed potential in Arsenal’s recent win over Everton. There’s also a chance Thomas Partey could be deployed at right-back, with youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly possibly filling in on the left.
The midfield responsibility will fall heavily on Declan Rice, Jorginho, and captain Martin Ødegaard. This trio will need to do it all, protect the defence, control possession, and spark attacking moves, if Arsenal are to stand a chance against Madrid’s firepower.
Up front, much of the attacking burden will lie on the shoulders of Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, and Trossard. All three will need to be sharp, creative, and clinical — especially if the Gunners hope to exploit any gaps in Real Madrid’s defence and take a step closer to the semi-finals.
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