Huge Arsenal concerns as two key stars facing late fitness test before Champions League second leg with Bayern
MIKEL ARTETA admits Arsenal are sweating on main men Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard for Wednesday’s huge Champions League tie at Bayern Munich.
The Gunners‘ boss is “hopeful” his two most creative talents overcome knocks for a quarter-final return leg in the balance at 2-2.
Winger Saka was seen limping near the end of Sunday’s 2-0 home defeat to Aston Villa – but stayed on.
And playmaker Odegaard felt “something” – meaning Emile Smith Rowe had to replace him after 79 minutes.
Leon Bailey and Ollie Watkins then both netted as Villa snatched a victory that stopped the Gunners moving back to the top of the Premier League.
Arteta said on Tuesday: “We had less than 48 hours to recover from the game.
“We have done very, very little training – so we will assess them tomorrow and see how they are.”
Gunners’ fans will be heartened by a picture of Saka and Odegaard laughing together during light practice at Colney.
But the fact their fitness is an issue at all will be a worry for Arteta.
However, the Spaniard claims Sunday’s dire display won’t affect their performance at newly-dethroned Bundesliga champions Bayern.
He said: “We threw the game away [but] regardless of that result, it’s going to have no impact on what happens tomorrow.
“We’ll refocus and start to build the confidence and the trust [to get] the standard of performance we’ll have to put in tomorrow to beat them.”
Bayern must be smarting from Bayer Leverkusen wrenching away their 12-year grip on the German crown so easily this season.
And manager Thomas Tuchel also has much to prove after already revealing he will depart in the summer.
But the ex-Chelsea and PSG manager is quietly confident for Wednesday.
He said: “We have a slight advantage when you look at our experience in this competition
“But to turn it into a real advantage, you also need a top performance. We’re ready to give it everything we’ve got.
“We’ll need everything again. We’ll need passion and the same tactical discipline as in the first leg.”