Having come on as a sub in our final two video games, Bukayo Saka takes his place within the beginning XI for our Champions League quarter-final first leg towards Actual Madrid.
A hamstring damage suffered away to Fulham on December 21 dominated him out for 3 months, however he scored off the bench in our final sport at Emirates Stadium, earlier than enjoying the second half at Everton on the weekend.
He’s one in every of 5 adjustments from the aspect that drew 1-1 at Goodison Park, with Jurrien Timber, Thomas Partey, Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard additionally returning. It means Mikel Merino is more likely to resume his centre ahead position, with Saturday’s goalscorer Leandro Trossard reverting to the bench.
Gabriel is injured after all, so Jakub Kiwior continues his centre-back partnership with William Saliba, whereas Myles Lewis-Skelly and Jurrien Timber begin at full-back.
Raheem Sterling is suspended so not within the squad, whereas Declan Rice, Timber and Martinelli would all miss the second leg if booked tonight.
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Easy methods to watch Arsenal v Actual Madrid stay on TV
Essentially the most embellished supervisor in Champions League historical past, Carlo Ancelotti has additionally made 5 alterations to his Madrid workforce that conceded within the ninety fifth minute to lose at residence to Valencia on Saturday, with solely Antonio Rudiger maintaining his place in defence.
Thibaut Courtois returns between the posts after lacking three video games with rookie goalkeeper Fran Gonzalez dropping to the bench, whereas Marco Ascencio replaces the suspended Aurelien Tchouameni to accomplice the previous Chelsea man at centre-back.
Veteran left-back David Alaba is most well-liked to Fran Garcia, whereas Federico Valverde returns to the right-back position he has stuffed in latest matches, that means Lucas Vazquez is among the many replacements. Eduardo Camavinga takes Valverde’s midfield emptiness alongside Jude Bellingham and Luka Modric, whereas Rodrygo is most well-liked to Brahim Diaz on the wing.
As anticipated Kylian Mbappe begins alongside Vinicius Jr in assault, who together with Modric, Endrick, Vazquez, Rudiger and Camavinga, would miss the second leg in the event that they choose up a warning tonight.
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All the things you might want to learn about Actual Madrid
LINE-UPS
Arsenal: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly, Partey, Rice, Odegaard, Saka, Martinelli, Merino.
Subs: Neto, Setford, Tierney, White, Zinchenko, Trossard, Jorginho, Butler-Oyedeji, Gower, Nwaneri.
Actual Madrid: Courtois, Valverde, Ascencio, Rudiger, Alaba, Modric, Camavinga, Bellingham, Rodrygo, Vinicius Jr, Mbappe.
Subs: Gonzalez, Mestre, Vazquez, Lorenzo, F. Garcia, Vallejo, Jacobo, Andres, Guler, Diaz, Endrick, G. Garcia.
Forward of kick-off, get all the important thing stats, TV protection, historic conferences, a information to Madrid’s techniques and extra with our must-read match preview.
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Preview: Arsenal v Actual Madrid
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