Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta has disclosed that winger Bukayo Saka will not be available as his side takes on FC Porto in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday night in Portugal, news.ng reports.
He also confirmed the unavailability of Jurrien Timber but is optimistic that both players could be ready for the weekend game if everything goes well.
He made this known during a pre-match press conference ahead of the tie with FC Porto.
However, the trio of Gabriel, Declan Rice, and Leandro Trossard will be available.
He stated, “No, they’re having trouble, they’re not ready yet. Let’s see, hopefully they’re going to be ready for the weekend, if everything goes well, and that’s a massive boost because in recent days, we’ve lost so many important players, and that’s something that we need to change immediately.”
Reflecting on Saturday’s elimination from the FA Cup, Arteta admitted it was a difficult moment, losing 2-1 to lower-division club Southampton—an opportunity they would have seized to keep hope alive for silverware.
According to him, “Have some perspective, how difficult it is, what we’ve done up to now. And then feel that pain, feel that emotion, and use it to be better and to improve.
“So we were very clear in what happened, the reason why it happened, watching the game two times, we didn’t deserve to lose that match, but this is football and we get punished for things that are related to our identity, and that’s the things that we need to defend in the strongest possible way, because that’s the reason that we are where we are today.”
Meanwhile, Arsenal will be facing Porto on Tuesday after a disappointing weekend, hoping for a favourable outcome.
The Gunners have claimed victory twice in their five outings against Porto, with two draws, while the Portuguese side has one win.
