Mikel Arteta issues surprising Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz injury updates before Arsenal vs. Atletico Madrid

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has revealed that Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz volition some beryllium disposable for Tuesday's Champions League semi-final 2nd limb against Atletico Madrid.

Neither subordinate was seen successful the Gunners' unfastened grooming session connected Monday morning, fuelling fears that they would some miss the sojourn of Diego Simeone's side.

Odegaard picked up yet different genu wounded successful past week's 1-1 first-leg draw and was not progressive successful Saturday's 3-0 Premier League triumph implicit Fulham, which Havertz besides missed with a musculus injury.

The Germany planetary sustained his latest contented against Newcastle United 2 weekends ago, though Arteta delivered a amazingly affirmative update successful his pre-game property conference.

Despite some players' lack from the portion of signifier unfastened to the media, Arteta confirmed that they would some beryllium successful the squad, saying: "Yes, they are available.

Arsenal's Kai Havertz, Martin Odegaard disposable for Atletico Madrid clash

"They are successful the squad, some of them. We request options, we request the capableness to play antithetic games tomorrow, whether it’s from the commencement oregon after. So it’s really, truly bully quality for america to person them some back.”

However, determination was nary connection connected right-back Jurrien Timber, who is seemingly acceptable to miss retired erstwhile again with the groin wounded helium sustained implicit the planetary break.

Mikel Merino is besides moving his mode backmost from a ft operation, but Arsenal different person each of their options disposable for Tuesday's 2nd leg, successful which they volition endeavour to extremity a 20-year exile from the Champions League final.

Earlier connected Monday, Atletico named a 25-man squad for the 2nd limb of the semi-final, arsenic Diego Simeone received a quadruple wounded boost.

Why Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz should not commencement for Arsenal against Atletico Madrid

Having Odegaard and Havertz disposable is fantabulous quality for Arsenal, arsenic the brace person registered a combined 17 extremity involvements betwixt them this term, contempt their persistent fittingness issues.

However, those repeated wounded woes are 1 crushed wherefore Arteta should clasp disconnected connected bringing them backmost into the archetypal XI connected Tuesday, particularly successful Odegaard's case.

It is not wide whether the Norway international's latest genu occupation is simply a caller wounded oregon a flare-up of a erstwhile issue, but regardless, helium has present spent 3 periods retired with specified concerns successful the 2025-26 season.

Meanwhile, Viktor Gyokeres is successful nary presumption to driblet retired aft his extremity and assistance against Fulham, portion Havertz starting successful the fig 10 relation has not paid dividends; that experimentation failed against Southampton, Manchester City and Bournemouth.