Arsenal is preparing for the second stage of their Champions League Quarte Final against Real Madrid on Wednesday after the draw with Brentford in the weekend has exhausted their ranks
After the disappointment of the weekend it is all eyes on Real Madrid for Arsenal. The Gunners were held on Saturday evening to a 1-1 draw by Brentford in the Emirates Stadium for the crucial second stage of their quarterfinals of the Champions League against Real.
Liverpool's 2-1 victory over West Ham on Sunday, but almost confirmed that they will be Premier League champions, with a 13-point gap opened between first and second. That means that if it was not yet the case, Mikel Arteta and his players all participate in the Champions League.
Arsenal gave a 3-0 lead of the first stage last week when Declan Rice curled into two beautiful free kicks and Mikel Merino found the bottom corner. The Brentford match caused a few worries, with Ben White picking up an injury before the kick-off and Jorginho and Thomas Pareny were enforced during the match.
Arteta managed to let a handful of his most important players rest against the bees and there is a considerable injury update in this mirror football round.
UPDATE Mixed injury
Jorginho will miss the Real Madrid -Stropdas because of the breast injury he sustained against Brentford, but Pedey is expected to be available. Jorginho has undergone checks and X-rays and will miss the real game, plus at least the next two Premier League matches against Ipswich and Crystal Palace and possible.
Jorginho is from the contract at the end of the season – and has offered a switch to Flamengo in his native Brazil – this is how it has been the last few weeks of his Arsenal career at the age of 33.
Pedey was also forced against Brentford, but is expected to be fit to Real Madrid. He played right back on Saturday, with White also absent and Jurrien Timber rested, but should be able to return to midfield on Wednesday.
Bellingham in Buste
The preparations for Real Madrid for the game have been turned upside down by a reported training base between Jude Bellingham and Antonio Rudiger. The duo had to be separated during a training session before Real traveled to Deportivo Alaves in a crucial LA Liga match.
Real succeeded in winning the game 1-0, with Eduardo Camavinga scored early, but Kylian Mbappe got to see a red card for a reckless challenge.
The side of Carlo Ancelotti is within four points of leaders Barcelona, which they still have to play, but are now focused on the Arsenal game. Bellingham knows that they should be much better in the home leg to even have a chance to do the shortage.
“We were nowhere in the neighborhood,” Bellingham told Amazon Prime. “That's the fact and Arsenal was really good.”
Neville Blasts Gunners
Gary Neville has claimed that Arsenal was “backwards” this season prior to their biggest competition of the season. On NBC sports he said: “Arsenal's League versions have been a big disappointment. If Manchester City did not win the competition, Arsenal had to be the team that was waiting there. They were not even on the shoulder of Liverpool.”
Neville suggested earlier that he thought that Arsenal “always tried to let the hook out” and he pulled out the performances of Captain Martin Odegaard and claimed that he had passed a “big drop-off” this period.
His comments received some pushback from Robbie Mustoe, who replied: “I would not agree that they have deteriorated. I still think they will be the second placed team again for the third season on the trot.”
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