A large number of Arsenal stars are running a suspension cord for this week's Champions League collision with Real Madrid in the Santiago Bernabeu and can be hit with a ban
Arsenal has one foot in the semi -final of the Champions League, but can be hit with four forbidden if they continue to the next round. The Gunners are overwhelming favorites to reach the last four of the competition against Real Madrid.
A beautiful bracket of free kicks from Declan Rice, as well as a strike by Mikel Merino, achieved a striking victory in the Emirates Stadium last week. The men of Mikel Arteta must now avoid a defeat with three or more goals to book their first semifinal place since 2009.
And Arsenal already knows who they will take if they reach that phase – either Paris Saint -Germain or Premier League Rivals Aston Villa. The French side has a 3-1 lead after the first stage in the Parc des Princes.
Arsenal, however, may have without a large number of their most important players for every semi-final. As it looks now, all Declan Rice, Jurrien Timber, Gabriel Martinelli and Thomas Partey are all offered on two caution during the competition.
According to UEFA rules, all further booking for those players would see them hand over an automatic ban on one match. Away from the threat of suspension, Arsenal -Baas Arteta has a few injury problems within four.
Pedey was withdrawn a small problem with Brentford during the weekend and it is still to be seen whether he can play in Spain. There was also concern about whether rice was fit, but Arteta did not seem too concerned.
He said, “No, he was fine. Yesterday he trained with normality. He felt no pain. That's why we introduced him from the start.”
Long -term absent Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Magalhaes, Takehiro Tomiyasu are all limited to the sidelines. There are also major doubts about people like Riccardo Calafiori, Jorginho and Ben White prior to Wednesday's trip to the Santiago Bernabeu.
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After the victory, Arteta spoke from his side and said: “You have to keep taking steps, and tonight we have won the right direction. Now it is the peace, and now we have to go to the Bernabeu and we have to raise the level again to be the team that we want to be there and preparing the game to win it.”
The Spaniard added: “I know how much work and how many decisions many people have made in this football club, to live in the night we had tonight. I told them, thank you very much that you let us enjoy the journey, and thank you, for me who are so convinced that it is about to do it tonight.”
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