Arsenal's five stars absent ahead of two season-defining clashes

Arsenal's preparations for the Champions League quarter-final second leg against Sporting Lisbon are under major scrutiny, as five key players were missing from the latest training session.

Mikel Arteta's team will host Sporting in the Champions League quarter-final second leg on Wednesday evening, before heading to Manchester City's stadium for a decisive Premier League top-of-the-table clash on Sunday afternoon.

Arsenal's immediate focus is the rematch with Sporting, but the Monday training session raised significant concerns. Riccardo Calafiori, Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, and Jurrien Timber were all absent from the training pitch.

Among them, Rice was the only one who played in the 1-2 loss to Bournemouth in the Premier League last weekend, completing the full 90 minutes. His absence from the Sobha Realty training center does not definitively rule him out for the Sporting match, but it clearly signals a concern for Arsenal's coaching staff.

When asked about Rice's fitness condition, Coach Arteta was cautious and unwilling to confirm the player's availability during the Tuesday afternoon press conference.

“I don't want to clarify that at this moment. We have to wait and see how he is… but today he couldn't train,” the Spanish manager said. When asked generally about the five absent players, Arteta stated: “We have to wait until tomorrow morning to assess the condition of some players.”

Calafiori, Odegaard, Saka, and Timber have all been absent recently due to injuries. However, Odegaard started and Calafiori came on as a substitute in the 1-2 FA Cup quarter-final loss to Southampton last Saturday. This indicates Arsenal is attempting to manage squad rotation amidst a congested fixture schedule.

Amid concerns over the squad, Arsenal also received positive news as Piero Hincapie and Eberechi Eze returned to training. Both were only fit enough to be substitutes against Bournemouth, with Eze entering the pitch in the 54th minute. Their return provides Arteta with more options, especially as the team needs to maintain squad depth for two crucial consecutive matches.

Arsenal currently holds the advantage after the first leg, having won 1-0 against Sporting thanks to Kai Havertz's stoppage-time goal in Lisbon. However, this narrow margin forces the Gunners to maintain maximum focus in the second leg.

Immediately afterwards, they will face a greater challenge as they visit high-form Manchester City in a match that could decide the Premier League title race.

After the loss to Bournemouth, Arteta expressed disappointment and demanded a strong response from his players. He described the defeat as "a punch straight to the face" and emphasized that the team must show better fighting spirit.

“It was a massive disappointment. A punch to the face. What matters is how we respond. From now on, the team needs to fight more. There is no grey area anymore. Either we step up, or we are out,” he said.

The Spanish manager also acknowledged the immense pressure from Arsenal's 22-year wait for a Premier League title. “We know what is at stake. The club's long period without winning the title increases the pressure.

But I want to focus on what we can control. Let's continue what we've done over the past nine months. Today we took a step back, so we must learn, self-criticize, and stand up. Because a big match awaits us on Wednesday,” Arteta affirmed.