Arsenal's head coach, Mikel Arteta, has expressed hope that key players Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard will be fit to play against Bayern Munich. However, he was unable to confirm their definite participation in the upcoming Champions League quarter-final second leg.
The potential absence of Saka and Odegaard would be a significant setback for Arsenal given their crucial role within the team. The fans are eagerly waiting to see if the duo will take part in Wednesday’s Bayern Munich match.
Bukayo Saka was seen limping towards the end of Sunday’s 2-0 home defeat to Aston Villa while Martin Odegaard had to leave the game early due to an injury concern.
Impact can be big Premier League on title hopes as well
The loss against Aston Villa has dealt a severe blow to Arsenal’s chances of winning the Premier League title. Speaking after this disappointing result, Arteta revealed that Odegaard felt ‘something’ during the match which prevented him from continuing.
As we approach Arsenal's second-leg clash with Bayern Munich – with scores tied at 2-2 from their first meeting at Emirates – Arteta provided an update on both players' conditions. He confirmed that late fitness tests would determine whether Saka and Odegaard can participate.
Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta, said:
‘We had less than 48 hours to recover from the game [against Villa], We have done very, very little training – so we will assess them tomorrow and see how they are.’
‘We threw the game away [but] regardless of that result, it’s going to have no impact on what happens tomorrow, We’ll refocus and start to build the confidence and the trust [to get] the standard of performance we’ll have to put in tomorrow to beat them.’
Despite recent setbacks, Arteta remains confident that Sunday’s defeat will have 'no impact' on his team as they prepare for their crucial encounter with Bayern at Allianz Arena.
Tuchel believes advantage lies with Bayern Munich
Bayern manager Thomas Tuchel believes his side holds a 'slight advantage' over Arsenal going into this second leg fixture. This statement adds another layer of intrigue as fans across both camps anticipate what promises to be an exciting showdown between these two football giants.
Bayern Munich manager, Thomas Tuchel, said:
‘We have a slight advantage when you look at our experience in this competition, But to turn it into a real advantage, you also need a top performance. We’re ready to give it everything we’ve go.
‘We’ll need everything again. We’ll need passion and the same tactical discipline as in the first leg. We really want to win this game. It’ll be extremely important that every fan comes to support and push us.’
The uncertainty surrounding Saka and Odegaard's participation adds a layer of suspense to the upcoming match. Their potential absence could significantly impact Arsenal's performance, making this clash one to watch for all sports fans and sports betting enthusiasts.
