Mikel Arteta shuffled the deck over the weekend against Brentford—and didn’t come away with a win. He left Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka, Mikel Merino, and Jurrien Timber on the bench, aiming to minimize injury risk ahead of the Champions League quarter-final second leg against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu (Wednesday, 22:00).But a potential issue has still surfaced for the Gunners. That quartet is fully fit, as is Declan Rice, the hero of the magnificent victory at the Emirates. However, there’s a detail likely nagging at Arteta’s mind since Saturday.A hard-fought draw in N5. pic.twitter.com/LxTNwVlwiF— Arsenal (@Arsenal) April 12, 2025 Jorginho is injured and unavailable—on its own, perhaps not a major blow—but the bigger concern is that Thomas Partey is also a doubt. The Ghanaian midfielder, who played an excellent first leg against the Spanish giants, took a heavy knock during the Brentford match, and it remains uncertain whether he’ll be fully fit for the trip to Madrid.If Partey isn’t ready, Arteta would likely need to move Mikel Merino back into midfield to form a trio with Rice and Odegaard. That would leave a hole in the false nine role Merino has been covering, likely to be filled by Leandro Trossard.I know rival fans will be silent when Arteta starts Partey in Madrid next week. pic.twitter.com/bCMOXOcumz— Av (@aviv_lavi) April 14, 2025 This shift would reduce Arsenal’s depth and bench options. Of course, nothing is disastrous—Arsenal heads to Madrid with a three-goal advantage—but Real Madrid is one of the few clubs in Europe with a history of overturning large deficits. That’s why, for Arteta, every first-team player could prove crucial in the Spanish capital.UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE – QUARTER-FINALSSecond legTuesday22:00: (3.50) Aston Villa (3.60) PSG (2.15)22:00: (4.00) Dortmund (4.20) Barcelona (1.85)Wednesday22:00: (2.70) Inter (3.65) Bayern (2.60)22:00: (1.75) Real Madrid (3.90) Arsenal (5.10)***odds are subject to change***
