Mikel Arteta Arsenal
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has confirmed that while Martin Odegaard remains unavailable due to ongoing knee issues, Leandro Trossard and Riccardo Calafiori might return to action. The duo, who were both forced off during the match against Mansfield Town, could potentially feature in the upcoming game against Bayer Leverkusen. Arteta also provided updates on other key players, including William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, Declan Rice, and Martin Zubimendi, all of whom are set to be available for selection.
Mikel Arteta said: “Yeah, those two are a possibility that they are available, and we’ll see tomorrow how we use them.” He added, “Well, they had issues and they’ve been carrying issues. And the amount of games that we are playing, it’s obviously super demanding. And it was the only time to try to make sure that we can clean those issues that they’re having to start the next sequence of two weeks before the break in the best possible way. And we had to make those decisions.”
Despite the positive news regarding several players, Odegaard, Ben White, and Mikel Merino were absent from Tuesday’s open training session. Odegaard has struggled with a knee problem since early February, affecting his ability to consistently contribute to the team. Meanwhile, Merino is recovering from foot surgery and is determined to make a return this season. White, on the other hand, has been plagued by injuries throughout the campaign and has not played since the victory over Tottenham in the North London Derby.
Arteta also addressed the fitness of Kai Havertz, who has been dealing with various issues but recently returned to the lineup. Havertz’s presence in the midfield during the weekend suggests he could play a significant role against his former club, Bayer Leverkusen.
Mikel Arteta said: “Yeah now it has been three weeks that he has had total consistency.”
Arsenal is set to face Bayer Leverkusen in the first leg of their European tie, with the match scheduled to kick off at 5:45 pm at the BayArena. The team will be looking to capitalize on the availability of key players as they aim for a strong performance in this crucial fixture.
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