LISBON: Arsenal have received a timely fitness lift with Declan Rice and Gabriel Magalhães returning to full training ahead of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg against Sporting Lisbon at the Estádio José Alvalade on Tuesday (kick-off 20:00 BST).
Rice, 27, had been absent for Saturday’s shock 2-1 FA Cup quarter-final defeat by Southampton, where Arsenal were dumped out by the Sky Bet Championship side in a dramatic upset. Gabriel was forced off that same match with a knee knock, fuelling concerns over his fitness. Both returned to training at Arsenal’s London Colney base on Monday, offering a major boost to manager Mikel Arteta’s plans.
Belgian forward Leandro Trossard also took part in Monday’s session and looks set to travel with the squad. However, several key players remain absent from training, with Bukayo Saka still not involved after pulling out of England duty, while Jurrien Timber, Eberechi Eze, Piero Hincapié and Mikel Merino continue their recovery from injury.
Arteta’s side will be looking to arrest a run of back-to-back defeats, having lost the Carabao Cup final to Manchester City and then their FA Cup tie, before travelling to Portugal. With Arsenal currently leading the Premier League by nine points, their European ambitions remain high as they chase a first Champions League semi-final appearance since the 2019-20 season.
In his pre-match press conference, Arteta will be expected to confirm whether Rice and Gabriel are ready to start, with their presence likely to influence his team selection significantly. The tie will resume for the second leg at the Emirates Stadium next Wednesday.
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