{"id":5792,"date":"2026-04-06T12:43:45","date_gmt":"2026-04-06T12:43:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=5792"},"modified":"2026-04-06T12:43:45","modified_gmt":"2026-04-06T12:43:45","slug":"arsenal-handed-major-injury-boost-ahead-of-sporting-clash-football","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=5792","title":{"rendered":"Arsenal handed major injury boost ahead of Sporting clash | Football"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\n\t\t\"Arsenal\t<\/div>
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta will be desperate to have Gabriel Magalhaes back at his disposal (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Arsenal have received a significant boost ahead of their Champions League quarter-final first leg against Sporting, with Gabriel Magalhaes pictured back in first-team training today. <\/p>\n

Gabriel played the full 90 minutes of Arsenal\u2019s Carabao Cup final loss to Manchester City, but was forced off injured in the side\u2019s FA Cup quarter-final defeat to Southampton.<\/p>\n

The Brazil defender appeared in some discomfort as he left the field with a suspected knee problem, with William Saliba sent on in his place for the final 20 minutes at St Mary\u2019s.<\/p>\n

\u2018I think he felt something,\u2019 Mikel Arteta told reporters when asked for an update on Gabriel\u2019s condition after the Gunners\u2019 elimination.<\/p>\n

\u2018I don\u2019t know exactly what it is. We\u2019re going to have to assess him.<\/p>\n

\u2018But obviously, when a player is asking to be substituted, it\u2019s never good news.\u2019<\/p>\n

Just two days on, though, Gabriel was spotted training as usual with the rest of Arteta\u2019s squad and the 28-year-old seemed in good spirits as he was put through his paces at London Colney.<\/p>\n

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Gabriel was pictured out on the grass at London Colney today<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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\n\t\t\"Southampton\t<\/div>
The Brazil international was forced off in the 72nd minute against Southampton (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Leandro Trossard was also pictured taking part in today\u2019s open session having seemingly recovered from a groin problem which saw the Belgian miss Saturday\u2019s trip to Southampton. <\/p>\n

Another major boost for Arsenal came in the shape of Declan Rice, who looked to be training as normal after withdrawing from England\u2019s recent friendly matches against Uruguay and Japan.<\/p>\n

However, there remain question marks surrounding the fitness of Bukayo Saka (unspecified), Eberechi Eze (muscle), Jurrien Timber (groin) and Piero Hincapie (unspecified) ahead of Tuesday night\u2019s contest in Lisbon.<\/p>\n

Mikel Merino is still some way from his possible return after undergoing <\/em>surgery on a foot injury he suffered in January.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"Arsenal\t<\/div>
Rice trained despite pulling out of England\u2019s recent friendlies with Uruguay and Japan (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Arteta is hoping to have as many of his key men back as possible ahead of a crucial period, with the club\u2019s quadruple and treble hopes dead and buried after successive defeats in the Carabao Cup and FA Cup. <\/p>\n

The Gunners will be looking to return to the form they showed in their last-16 second leg with Bayer Leverkusen at the Emirates, where goals from Eze and Rice either side of half-time proved decisive.<\/p>\n

Their quarter-final opponents, Sporting, had looked to be heading out of Europe\u2019s premier competition after suffering a 3-0 defeat to Bodo\/Glimt in the first leg of their round-of-16 tie.<\/p>\n

But the Primeira Liga champions completed an incredible fightback in the second leg to win 5-3 on aggregate and advance through. <\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"Arsenal\t<\/div>
Trossard was put through his paces after missing Arsenal\u2019s loss at St Mary\u2019s (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After a desperately disappointing few days for Arsenal, Arteta refused to use injuries as an excuse and called on his players to \u2018look themselves in the mirror\u2019.<\/p>\n

\u2018I love my players. I\u2019m not going to criticise them because we lost a game here in the manner that they tried,\u2019 he said after their setback at Southampton. <\/p>\n

\u2018And the way they are putting their bodies through everything. Some of them probably didn\u2019t even have to be here today. I\u2019m not going to do that. I\u2019m going to defend them more than ever.\u2019<\/p>\n

The Spaniard added: \u2018I don\u2019t want to put any excuses around the players that are missing or the players that are here with issues.<\/p>\n

\u2018Let\u2019s look at ourselves in the mirror. <\/p>\n

\u2018Accept the situation, reveal against it, and go again to Portugal with, again, freshness, with clarity and looking forward to it.\u2019<\/p>\n

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Arrow<\/title>\n<\/svg>MORE: Ray Parlour tells Mikel Arteta to get rid of Arsenal\u2019s \u2018deadwood\u2019 after shock FA Cup defeat<\/span><\/p>\n

Arrow<\/title>\n<\/svg>MORE: Gary Lineker makes Arsenal title claim and accuses Mikel Arteta of \u2018panicking\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

Arrow<\/title>\n<\/svg>MORE: \u2018They\u2019re not ready mentally!\u2019 Former Chelsea star makes worrying Arsenal trophy claim<\/span><\/p>\n
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