though insists he will not compare himself to the Barcelona winger Yamal stole the show in Wednesday's 3-3 draw with Inter in their Champions League semi-final first leg and Arsenal could meet Barcelona in the final if they can overturn a 1-0 defeat against Paris Saint-Germain The Spain forward levelled with a brilliant individual piece of skill against Inter becoming the youngest-ever scorer in the last four of UEFA's top club competition That dominant performance in Europe marked Yamal’s 100th appearance for Barcelona across all competitions with only Jules Kounde (107) and Robert Lewandowski (104) playing more games for the club since his debut in April 2023 what can you say, it's unreal," Saka told Sky Sports. "It's not normal No-one does it. I don't think I've seen that level of 17-year-olds Yamal is also just the second teenager to score in the last 16 quarter-final and semi-final within a single Champions League campaign after Kylian Mbappe for Monaco in 2016-17 The Barcelona winger's record-breaking feat came after Ousmane Dembele scored the only goal to see PSG past Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium in their semi-final first leg Among players in the big five European leagues Harry Kane (36) and Mbappe (34) have scored more goals in all competitions this season than Dembele's 33 Saka refused to compare himself to either of those and they're all different with different games," he added. "I have respect for them all These guys are top players and I don't have a bad word to say about them "When they're not playing against me "I don't like to put myself in these types of conversations It's not in my interest to argue with them. I just play my own games and leave it to people to have their own opinions." Arsenal are out of the Premier League title race after Liverpool were crowned as champions with last Sunday's 5-1 thrashing of Tottenham Mikel Arteta's side host Bournemouth on Saturday aiming to extend their three-point lead over third-place Manchester City before Wednesday's visit to PSG for the second leg "You can't assess the season until it's finished," Saka added. "We're disappointed the league has gone to Liverpool "The season isn't over; [we have a] massive game next week and the opportunity to be in the Champions League final We need to think about the semi-final to get there Bournemouth first and then to Paris next week to turn it around." despite his own aspirations of claiming the Ballon d'Or Mohamed Salah and Yamal from his right-wing challengers "Of course, it's a dream," he said. "I think it's a lot of players' dreams the only thing you can focus on right now is winning here [at Arsenal] Everything else will come after." Lamine Yamal's efforts with Barcelona have not gone unnoticed with Bukayo Saka and the pair could meet in the Champions League final.Bukayo Saka says Lamine Yamal's exploits are "not normal" for a 17-year-old Arsenal are only four points ahead of Chelsea After a 2-1 defeat against Bournemouth on Saturday, the Gunners, who have been second for most of the 2024/25 campaign, could even slip outside of the top four in the Premier League with tricky tests against Liverpool and Newcastle to come Mikel Arteta will mainly be focusing on the second leg of the UEFA Champions League semi-final against PSG on Wednesday Despite this newfound uncertainty over whether Arsenal will finish inside the top four, the north Londoners have now managed to edge ahead of Chelsea in the race to sign Jamie Gittens from Borussia Dortmund Ruhr Nachrichten are now claiming that Arsenal have entered the race to sign the Borussia Dortmund No.43 in emphatic fashion The German news outlet state that Chelsea had already held talks to sign Gittens but the Gunners now lead the race for his signature after muscling into the conversation It is said that the England U21 international feels he has a better chance of playing regularly under Arteta at Arsenal whereas his pathway to receiving frequent game time under Enzo Maresca at Chelsea is less clear in his eyes Gittens – who has been likened to Joe Cole – and his representatives have already informed Borussia Dortmund that he would like a move this summer The 20-year-old is even said to have been repeating this regularly to teammates in the dressing room Ruhr Nachrichten add that Borussia Dortmund are unlikely to stand in the winger’s way but will demand a fee of up to €60m (£50m) Gittens – managed by Elite Project Group Limited who also represent Bukayo Saka – has scored 12 goals and provided five assists in 46 appearances across all competitions so far this season Jamie Gittens, what a talent 🤩The young English winger makes it 𝘁𝘄𝗼 goals in ten minutes 🔥📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/pA30Kb4kcT The Real Madrid No.5 worked with the Reading-born forward while at Borussia Dortmund Bellingham hailed Gittens telling Tuttosport that he feels his pal is worthy of winning the Golden Boy award one day saying: “My old teammate Jamie Gittens from Borussia Dortmund they would be getting a player of huge potential but a sense of injustice tipped the England international over the edge during Arsenal’s Champions League semi-final first leg against Paris Saint-Germain The PSG left-back Nuno Mendes was in possession deep inside his half and up against the touchline when he fell to the ground in stages as Saka closed him down from behind Saka emerged with the ball — a ball that he kicked away in fury at the sound of referee Slavko Vincic’s whistle after he was penalised for a foul Cue a yellow card for Saka and the sight of Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta doing his latest Basil Fawlty impression on the touchline Was this the right call against Bukayo Saka? 👀#UCLonPrime pic.twitter.com/5HVawtrBeA — Amazon Prime Video Sport (@primevideosport) April 29, 2025 it is a story about one of the most frustrating fouls in football it would be nice to welcome Luke Ayling to the stage to ask him to break down the art of how to buy a free kick with an opponent behind you taking in everything from deliberately applying the brakes late like a car driver trying to engineer a collision and a compensation claim right through to the theatrical tumble over the ball at the end of it all complete with raised arms and a look of dismay Ayling was so good at winning free kicks in that way that the Leeds supporters gave his go-to move a name: ‘The Ayling Flop’ A beauuuuty of an Ayling flop, right in front of Hassenhuttl. Southampton manager goes mad and gets a big grin. #lufc — Phil Hay (@PhilHay_) April 2, 2022 The images below show that moment against Southampton in all its glory Essentially, we are talking about an act of relatively low-grade s***housery. In Ayling’s case, it was remarkably successful, too. After making his debut for Leeds in 2016, Ayling won more fouls than any other defender who played in the top two tiers of English football during that period of time (thanks to Opta’s Jonny Cooper for that stat) Ayling even posted a clip on social media of his young daughter performing the move in his back garden A quick straw poll among my colleagues at The Athletic reveals that Aston Villa’s Ezri Konsa and Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella all deserve an honorary mention for being clever at winning fouls in a similar fashion was fortunate on Saturday when referee Anthony Taylor awarded a free kick in his favour following a duel with Jean-Philippe Mateta during Villa’s FA Cup semi-final defeat against Crystal Palace Jason Pearce, Konsa’s captain at Charlton Athletic, quickly picked up on just how streetwise his young defensive partner was when he first broke through. “He was composed in possession and used his body well for his age,” Pearce told The Athletic last year You can probably think of a player at your club who fits that description judging by the fact that the names keep coming in: Grant Hanley the Scotland international and former Norwich City defender Speaking as a regular observer of Swansea City I can confirm that Harry Darling is following in Ayling’s flop-steps It is more that the incident with Saka highlighted a general trend of free kicks almost routinely being given in that scenario It’s a get out of jail free card for a defender who is in possession and feeling an opponent breathing down their neck “You can understand the frustration from the Arsenal fans because Mendes is just trying to protect the ball and Saka has got every right to try and get to it and I didn’t think it was a foul,” said the former England international Alan Shearer in his role as co-commentator for the broadcaster Amazon Prime “Mendes doesn’t know he’s that side and then he (Saka) has this little touch of him and that is not enough for him to go down.” “That’s a great tackle,” chipped in Mark Clattenburg it’s much easier for a referee and/or an assistant referee (as was the case with the Mendes-Saka incident) to award a free kick and deal with the short-lived anger that follows rather than waving play on and risk all hell breaking loose if a goal is scored “But isn’t that what VAR is for?” I hear you say — and that is a point that Clattenburg made at the time the player in possession knows — and top officials will talk about this kind of thing privately — that it’s a low-risk foul to give in that area of the pitch err on the side of caution and award the free kick to the defensive side but it gives an insight into the thought process That was the case in the Liverpool-Nottingham Forest game at Anfield in September when Yates was being chased down by Luis Diaz Yates had been awarded a foul little more than a minute earlier following a bizarre tangle with Alexis Mac Allister that saw him go to ground twice the ball was still ‘in play’ in the picture below after Yates got to his feet and tumbled again Perhaps all of that was in the referee’s mind when Yates appealed for a free kick as he tried to shepherd the ball out of play during Liverpool’s next attack Diaz broke clear and ended up hitting the post the outcome in the PSG game was much more predictable (Top photo: The foul Saka made on Mendes; Aurelien Meunier/PSG via Getty Images) A former professional footballer with Swindon Town, Stuart James went onto spend 15 years working for The Guardian, where he reported on far too many relegation battles to mention, one miraculous Premier League title triumph and a couple of World Cups. He joined The Athletic as a Senior Writer in 2019. Follow Stuart on Twitter @stujames75 The Parisians won the first leg at The Emirates 1-0 with Ousmane Dembele scoring an early goal (4') Bukayo Saka and Nuno Mendes had a key battle during the course of the first leg It's a clash between two players with electric pace and Saka has now reflected on how he felt in the showdown against Mendes I’m looking forward to going again next week are one of the most in-form teams in Europe at the moment After knocking out Liverpool and Aston Villa they're up against another English opponent Saka had high praise for the Parisians as he said: a lot of threat at the top end of the pitch I think they keep the ball really well in midfield Saka also added that PSG have improved since their 2-0 defeat in the league phase of the competition I know they only changed two players from the line-up that they put out against us previously I would say so [they're the best team Arsenal have played this campaign] World Cup Winner Claims PSG Outclassed Arsenal In The UEFA Champions League Semi-final First Leg Martin Odegaard Reveals Mindset Arsenal Must Adopt To Overcome PSG Deficit Transcript: Luis Enrique And Others' Post-Match Press Conference After PSG’s Loss Philipp Lahm Compares Khvicha Kvaratskhelia To Former Bayern Munich Teammate BBC Sport football news reporterPublished20 April 2025324 CommentsBukayo Saka's ankle injury is "nothing serious" after he was forced off during Arsenal's 4-0 Premier League win at Ipswich on Sunday The winger was injured by a high challenge on the back of his ankle in the 32nd minute by Leif Davis England international Saka was substituted early in the second half and was pictured with strapping on his ankle Arteta said the winger was "sore" - but added that the decision to take him off was just a precaution with Arsenal facing the first leg of their Champions League semi-final against Paris St-Germain on 29 April I've just seen the normal pace image and yeah "I don't think it's intentional at all but it's dangerous because he cannot really react to anything Arsenal have suffered an injury-hit campaign Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus all absent for long periods And Arteta acknowledged that because of that he does get concerned when he sees one of his players struggling during a match "especially with the numbers that we have right now and especially when they are back to goal because normally it's the moment when the foot is planted Arteta was thrilled with the way his players kept up their levels four days after sealing a Champions League semi-final place with a victory over Real Madrid at the Bernabeu "I think the first 35 minutes is one of the best 35 minutes we played this season," Arteta said "We scored two goals [in the first half]; we could have scored three or four to be fair Very high intensity and understanding what we had to do today to win here the context of the game changed and we were much in control so overall a very positive afternoon." Arteta must now decide whether to rest key players for Wednesday's Premier League home game against Crystal Palace "We have to somehow put 11 players out there and have four or five changes so let's see how they recover in the next few days," Arteta said "The good thing is they are willing to play because they like the rhythm as well "We are so used to that rhythm every three days that the boys are demanding and then we don't have a game at the weekend so let's see how we get on Wednesday." Arteta selected a midfield perhaps with PSG in mind - as Thomas Partey will be suspended for the first leg of the semi-final The manager moved Declan Rice to a deeper midfield role with Mikel Merino - who has been playing as a makeshift striker - taking up his natural position in the middle Leandro Trossard came in up front and scored two goals - and is ready to start against PSG if needed he's certainly ready to play in any position," he said not because of PSG but because of the situation we had with Thomas and a few other players "But that's good because the team shows adaptability versatility for certain players to play in different positions especially when we have the numbers that we have at the moment." 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Read about our approach to external linking. playArteta bemused by penalty decision in Arsenal's draw vs Everton (0:29)Mikel Arteta says he's watched the decision to award Everton a penalty 15 times and still disagrees with the call Bukayo Saka has hinted his long-term future lies at Arsenal by insisting he wants "to win wearing this badge" and also revealed his "dream" to one day win the Ballon d'Or The England winger has two years left on his current contract -- worth up to £300,000-a-week -- with the Gunners preparing to open talks over an extension Speaking on Monday ahead of Arsenal's Champions League quarterfinal, first leg against Real Madrid I want to win and I want to win wearing this badge "I think it is pretty clear -- the fans know how much I love them and you saw when I came on on Tuesday [against Everton] I think they love me back so it is a good relationship I am really happy to be here and I'm just focused on winning Bukayo Saka scored on his return from injury in Arsenal's win against Fulham in the Premier League. David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images"I don't think anyone is really in a rush I have got two years left on my contract so it is pretty relaxed Everyone knows my thoughts and I've let you guys know as well so I don't think there's any rush really." there was a lot of conversation about this game," Saka said "I was waiting to be back and not just back That's what I spent a lot of months working massively towards and we're here now so I'm excited." Saka finished 21st in the voting for last year's Ballon d'Or -- won by Manchester City midfielder Rodri ahead of Vinícius Júnior -- and asked winning the prize was a target of his I'm just working hard to do my best for my team Manager Mikel Arteta called on his Arsenal players to write their own history as they play only their second Champions League quarterfinal in 15 years The Gunners were beaten at the same stage 12 months ago by Bayern Munich and Arteta said: "Building those experiences is something necessary "That's why I said that we have to build our own story because as you said there is a massive gap there for so many years when nothing has happened in this football club in relation to European competitions "We need to change that and we need to change that quickly "There were moments in the first leg [against Bayern] where we absolutely had them and we have to utilise those moments before this we gave them two goals and we made life much more difficult for us on the return leg in Munich." The goal that finally confirmed that they were heading into their third European Cup semi-final was a portrait of the way Arsenal had played here: an exercise in patience, control, and maturity. At no point was Arsenal’s 3-0 first‑leg lead in real danger not even when they gifted Madrid an absurd equaliser immediately after Saka’s goal The kind of moment that usually sparks madness as if to underline their superiority – and make no mistake far superior to Madrid – Gabriel Martinelli escaped through the middle of what little was left of the home defence in the last minute and slotted past Thibaut Courtois Arsenal had not just beaten the European champions across two games fans sang long into perhaps the greatest night in their European history completed on its grandest stage and in grand style They blew Madrid away a week ago; now they managed them Martin Ødegaard and Thomas Partey dominating midfield taking control before clinically finishing the task For all the comeback narrative that had been built against them there was no sign of nerves and only one bit of bad news – a late yellow card that means Partey will miss the first leg against PSG If that seemed like the spark Madrid needed, the fatalism flooding through Arsenal, it was quickly followed by another. Or so, at least, it seemed when Letexier gave a penalty for a tug on Kylian Mbappé. Rice, though, protested his innocence and although it took a good five minutes to go and look, the referee eventually agreed. Relief reinforced the plan. Arteta’s team managed the tempo, slowing down when it suited and occasionally stepping out. He had talked about the value of frustrating Madrid, turning that expectation against them, and that was a fairly accurate description of what was happening. David Raya was booked for time-wasting but not called on to make a save in the first half. Courtois had made three, the last a sharp stop from Rice. Madrid lacked structure and ideas, a Lucas Vázquez cross that curled all the way through proving to be about the best they could offer and an indication of their limitations. Nor did they really have the energy to create the chaos they sought. There was a tiredness about them, little spark. Free daily newsletterKick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football Rice had to stop Jude Bellingham, as he had done so throughout this tie, and Mbappé headed over but Arsenal were so in control there were soon oles accompanying their moves. That might not have been a great idea, given that Madrid soon robbed and ran away but the break ended tamely enough with their first shot on target. Read moreRaya comfortably gathered Vinícius Júnior’s shot then and soon after Arsenal took the lead The goalkeeper’s long ball was nodded on by Rice Merino was the next man introduced to the move This was not the way visitors are supposed to behave here; what came next was a goal gifted out of nowhere when William Saliba Vinícius smashed the ball into an empty net a reaction to something so ridiculous that for a moment Madrid thought that maybe it could be the start of something even more ridiculous were not going to let that happen: not now Martinelli adding the final line of the story they will tell for a long time As a former full-back, I am always watching players I would have had to play directly against to work out how to nullify them — and this year’s Champions League has been full of interesting challenges Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Ousmane Dembele have all shone They can all score and set up goals in so many different ways and the difficulties they present to defenders are highly complex The roots of these kinds of attackers probably go back to the mid-1990s The first player who comes to mind is Marc Overmars from Ajax my Bayern Munich team-mates Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben evolved that type of wing player further They were a constant threat with their quick changes of direction and their ability to finish people talk about how their traits were predictable and how you knew what they were going to do with the ball before they did it Depending on which of Ribery or Robben I was playing behind I could adjust my game to complement them — with and without the ball — allowing our side of the pitch to be more effective But all of these modern equivalents pose different problems and I do find myself thinking how I and my former team-mates would approach facing some of these players I really love Michael Olise’s versatility He’s been so good for Bayern this season and has carried such a threat His exceptional ball control and vision allow him to dribble dangerously Expose him to as much pressure as I could — attack him early keeping the right distance as a defender is crucial: you have to be close enough to disrupt someone like Olise but still far enough away to guard against his explosiveness Too close and he will just pass and move at a speed that is incredibly difficult to contain Particularly his ability to do things at such high speed and to help begin attacking moves in his own half That makes him incredibly difficult to cope with from a full-back’s perspective Perhaps what is less appreciated is just how physically fit he is and how he is able to hold his acceleration: he can run 70 metres without losing speed and he can still finish brilliantly at the end of one of those runs His dribbling and changes of direction remind me of Robben and Ribery which offers opportunities to attack in transitional moments I don’t think Vinicius Jr can ever be neutralised but it’s crucial not to give him space to move inside You have to deny him the angles and space that allow him to drive towards the penalty box Bukayo Saka has made a huge leap in his development under coach Mikel Arteta He plays with such clarity of thought and vision I think his threat is most pronounced in the final third but he is always looking to combine with other players and make runs; look at the goal he scored in the Santiago Bernabeu a few weeks ago Maybe that part of his game is not celebrated enough He is clearly a really purposeful and precise dribbler so I think dealing with him as an all-round threat is about cutting off the supply The best approach is to limit his touches and to try to block the passing lanes around him Make sure he only has poor options around him and never takes more touches of the ball than he needs and often finds his team-mates with just a few touches He can outplay opponents with a frequency and precision that only the very best possess and gives Barcelona the ability to create chances in all sorts of ways For example, think of Saturday’s Copa del Rey final and the two goals he created. The first for Pedri, by drawing defenders in on the goal line and cutting a pass back to the edge of the box. And then the second, with the long pass for Ferran Torres. Did you notice how close his marker was and how little space Yamal had when he played that ball Defending him requires maximum concentration at all times — everywhere — and you need to have the ability to anticipate his movements because you don’t have time to react to them He has to be on his weaker foot at all times The distance Khvicha Kvaratskhelia can carry the ball is remarkable more so that he is still dangerous at the end of those runs He’s the star for the Georgian national team but he works and defends as fiercely as anyone in that side both offensively and defensively; it is in his nature I can imagine that Kvaratskhelia’s team-mates are grateful to play with him and that they always feel as if he is part of their side regardless of what is happening at any moment during games The strength of his work against the ball can be the deciding factor in the Champions League semi-final against Arsenal — and that makes me think of some of the challenges I faced in my career alongside my team-mates with Bayern and Germany I remember the 2010 World Cup quarter-final against Argentina when we were able to stop Lionel Messi through collective defending and by taking really precise responsibility for space we defenders knew that if we stood too far apart there would be confusion over whose responsibility it was to actually tackle him It was a really fine balance and it took so much practice and organisation Preparing for Cristiano Ronaldo was just as much work His outstanding strengths — at that time — were his speed and his finishing The key with him was to eliminate the space in which he wanted to receive the final pass that he was always I played against another winger who is in the semi-finals of the Champions League: Ousmane Dembele but he was also so unpredictable — and he still is You never knew which direction he was going to move in or whether he was going to pass left or right he and Borussia Dortmund beat us in the semi-final of the DFB-Pokal at the Allianz Arena What these different players show is how complex being a full-back can be I learnt early on from my coaches: “Diving in is the last option — and if you rely on that option good defending depends on game intelligence the psychological and mental components were also really important This means shaping your body position and behaviour in such a way that you suggest options to the attacker — try to get your opponent to do what you want in the areas that suit your strengths rather than theirs That can mean not trying to win the ball and just slowing a player down to give your team-mates time to recover their positions Sometimes the job is to direct an opponent towards the strength of your own team — the midfield A footballer should know what they can do and what they can’t They also need to know what their team-mates can do and how they can help I knew how to defend together with Ribery and Robben The teams that best understand that will probably find themselves in Munich at the end of this season (Top photo: Siu Wu/picture alliance via Getty Images) Philipp Lahm is a World Cup-winning former Germany international and captain of Bayern Munich The full-back won eight Bundesliga titles with the Bavarian club and was capped 113 times by his country with his last appearance coming in the 2014 World Cup final as he lifted the trophy He joined The Athletic as a columnist in 2025 Ipswich 'a very positive afternoon' (1:06)Mikel Arteta reflects on Arsenal's 4-0 victory over Ipswich amid their ongoing Champions League campaign Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has said Bukayo Saka was left in pain after suffering a knock in the 4-0 away win at Ipswich Town on Sunday although he ruled out any chance of a "serious" injury Saka spent three months out with a hamstring injury this season, only just returning in time to help Arsenal past Real Madrid and into the Champions League semifinals The England winger received treatment after a poor tackle from Ipswich left-back Leif Davis whose studs dragged down the back of Saka's heels while Saka was later spotted with his foot wrapped in ice on the Arsenal bench He in a bit of pain but thankfully it doesn't look anything too serious." Arsenal are next in action on Wednesday when they host Crystal Palace in the Premier League. They then face Paris Saint-Germain in their Champions League semifinal first leg on April 29 PSG holds a narrow lead over ArsenalJerome Pugmire Full Screen1 / 8Previous photoNext photoBarcelona's Lamine Yamal celebrates after scoring during the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Barcelona and Inter Milan in Barcelona AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)Inter Milan's Lautaro Martinez watches from the tribune during the Serie A soccer match between Inter Milan and Hellas Verona at the San Siro Stadium (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)Barcelona's Raphinha reacts after a missed scoring opportunity during the Spanish Copa del Rey final soccer match between Barcelona and Real Madrid at Estadio de La Cartuja stadium in Seville (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)Inter Milan's Marcus Thuram celebrates with his teammates after scoring his side's opening goal during the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Barcelona and Inter Milan at the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium in Barcelona (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)PSG's Ousmane Dembele celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain at Emirates Stadium in London (Adam Davy/PA via AP)PSG players celebrate after their teammate Ousmane Dembele scored his side's opening goal during the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain at Emirates Stadium in London (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)Arsenal's Bukayo Saka controls the ball during the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Bournemouth at Emirates stadium in London (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)Arsenal's Bukayo Saka fights for the ball with PSG's Khvicha Kvaratskhelia during the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain at Emirates Stadium in London (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)Copyright 2025 The Associated Press Barcelona's Lamine Yamal celebrates after scoring during the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Barcelona and Inter Milan in Barcelona PARIS – Scoring three away goals should make Inter Milan feel confident heading into the return leg of its Champions League semifinal against Barcelona on Tuesday Inter might not think so, considering Barcelona’s ability to conjure goals out of nowhere with the world’s best young player in the side Inter was 2-0 up after 21 minutes in the first leg, before 17-year-old Spain star Lamine Yamal scored a stunning goal and Barcelona fought back to draw 3-3 at home in a pulsating contest packed with spectacular goals but then there's Raphinha — who is merely Barcelona's other Ballon d'Or contender With his long-range shooting and speedy attacks through the middle or down the flanks The Brazilian has 12 goals in the competition one more than strike partner Robert Lewandowski the defense remains vulnerable and coach Hansi Flick is under pressure to make the right calls He kept Wojciech Szczęsny in goal, even though No. 1 Marc-André ter Stegen has recovered from a long-term knee injury and played in Saturday's 2-1 win at Valladolid Barcelona is looking to win the competition for the sixth time Players and coaches have been warning about the damaging effects of a congested calendar Look no further than Barcelona and Inter for examples Barcelona defender Jules Koundé sustained a left hamstring injury in the first leg and the prolific Lewandowski has been nursing a minor left leg injury for two weeks Lewandowksi has netted 40 goals this season and needs one more goal to hit 100 for Barcelona Inter Milan captain Lautaro Martínez also went off injured in the first leg Strike partner Marcus Thuram who scored a superb back-heel flick in the first leg only returned from a thigh injury last week Paris Saint-Germain is hopeful 33-goal top scorer Ousmane Dembélé will be fit to start on Wednesday The star forward limped off with a minor hamstring pull against Arsenal in the semifinal first leg in London, which PSG won 1-0 PSG reached the semis last season but Arsenal reached this stage for the first time since 2009 Coach Luis Enrique has transformed PSG into a slick and cohesive unit since Kylian Mbappé's offseason departure to Real Madrid After falling short with world famous stars, there is genuine belief among PSG fans that this young and vibrant team can finally win the Champions League having cut ties with the over-hyped Galacticos era. Much of that is down to Luis Enrique's hard-nosed ability to generate competition for places with no favorable treatment like in previous years However, he rested his main players on Saturday and shrugged off PSG's 2-1 loss at Strasbourg, the club's second straight defeat in Ligue 1 albeit with the league title already won but PSG does not carry the same threat without Dembélé Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta pledged to use “the frustration rage and anger” from the Premier League defeat to fire up his players against PSG Arsenal was found wanting tactically in the first leg where PSG dominated the first half and scored when a 26-pass move led to Dembélé's goal Star player Bukayo Saka was shut down by PSG winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia who has a remarkable ability to attack and defend equally well on the left flank Saka's duel with Kvaratskhelia could be crucial while Arteta needs a vastly improved performance in midfield from captain Martin Ødegaard Arteta deployed him too far forward in the first leg and by the time he dropped back PSG was in control AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer rewritten or redistributed without permission TV Listings Email Newsletters RSS Feeds Closed Captioning / Audio Description Contact Us Careers at WPLG Terms of Use Privacy Policy Public File FCC Applications EEO Report Do Not Sell My Info 1.0 Host Exhibit Copyright © 2025 Local10.com is published by WPLG INC. Return Home Kat Saka’s Kettle in Galaxy’s Edge is one of many locations around Disneyland with new menu items for the summer We raced over to Batuu to try the new Lyseed Popped Grains This may be one of the worst new items at Disneyland The popcorn is almost soggy and has the consistency of foam It is not nearly as crispy and tasty as the typical popcorn from Kat Saka’s The seasoning also doesn’t really taste like a pickle it has the flavor of something you’ve left in the fridge for a couple of weeks and it only gets more pungent and disgusting as you chew it more Check our video review of all the new summertime treats at Disneyland: Are you looking forward to trying any of the new seasonal food items For more Disneyland Resort news and info, follow Disneyland News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. For Disney Parks news worldwide, visit WDWNT Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Mikel Arteta has made two changes for tonight’s Champions League game with Paris Saint-Germain with Bukayo Saka and Mikel Merino back in our line-up The duo are the only two players not to start in our last outing when we drew 2-2 with Crystal Palace six days ago with Merino recovering from injury to replace the suspended Thomas Partey while Saka is swapped with Raheem Sterling who is back on the bench as he has scored nine goals and made six assists in 16 appearances in the Champions League the most goal involvements for an English player in their first two seasons in the competition Ben White is fit enough to take his spot amongst our replacements after missing the game against the Eagles last week while Leandro Trossard is likely to start up front after scoring three times in his last two outings Luis Enrique meanwhile has made no alterations to his team that suffered their first Ligue 1 defeat of the campaign against Nice on Friday at the Parc des Princes Having named his strongest XI for that match the Spaniard has opted to stick with the same 11 players which means a front three of January arrival Khvicha Kvaratskhelia hot prospect Desire Doue and Ousmanne Dembele who missed the previous encounter between the sides back in October but has 32 goals in 44 appearances this season.  PSG's tactics and all our pre-match features in our guide to the game Copyright 2025 The Arsenal Football Club Limited Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to www.arsenal.com as the source MEN WOMEN ACADEMY CLUB Everything you need to know about our 24/25 European campaign MEN WOMEN ACADEMY ALL MEN WOMEN UNDER-21 UNDER-18 Explore our Help Centre for answers to common questions For all other enquiries please use our New Enquiry form Website feedback? Fill in our form Report abuse and discrimination here Check out our exclusive Wallpapers for desktop and mobile today MEN WOMEN ACADEMY The Portugal defender is being touted as the world's best left-back but he faces another stern examination of his credentials at the Emirates.. Mohamed Salah vs Nuno Mendes: it was always likely to be a decisive duel in Liverpool's Champions League last-16 tie with Paris Saint-Germain - and the presumption was that the Egyptian King would come out on top Salah was in Ballon d'Or-winning form going into the first leg at Parc des Princes breaking one record after another as he almost singlehandedly turned the Premier League title race into a procession the 22-year-old Mendes had long been tipped for greatness going all the way back to his emergence as a top teenage talent at Ruben Amorim's Sporting CP but nullifying the threat posed by Salah for 90 minutes was proving an almost impossible task even for the game's most experienced defenders Even when the winger was having an off-day where his one decent goal-bound effort was brilliantly blocked by his new nemesis is whether Mendes can do just as effective a job on Bukayo Saka as he did on Salah when PSG take on Arsenal at the Emirates on Tuesday as their battle could prove just as integral to this eagerly-awaited semi-final showdown.. playArteta: Saka is ready to go (0:37)Mikel Arteta has confirmed that Bukayo Saka will be available for the game against Fulham at the Emirates Stadium Arsenal's Bukayo Saka has impressed in a behind-closed-doors friendly and taken part in six straight training sessions as the winger readies to make his return from a months-long hamstring injury Saka is in line to return in Arsenal's Premier League clash against Fulham on Tuesday putting an end to three months on the sidelines following hamstring surgery adding that he is not concerned about Saka suffering a setback but before that he [Saka] had six consecutive sessions with the team So that's why I'm sure that we have managed to replicate almost every scenario [he could face] because he has done everything many times already "He needs exposure in games but all the boxes he has to tick are there The concerns normally are when you are rushing an injury It is [when there has been] a three-week injury and after 10 days you want to put yourself on that pitch and you are almost praying that it won't go "But he has been really good in the process and we have got a lot of reassurance that he can do very well now." Nicknames in football feel like something of a relic of yesteryear Edinson Cavani was ‘El Matador’ and Ronaldo was ‘Il Fenomeno’ After Arsenal’s Champions League quarter-final first leg win over Real Madrid, Spanish newspaper AS labelled him ‘un torturador’ — a torturer The context was that he made veteran left-back David Alaba who ended up calling Jude Bellingham to take his place the same could be true of all Madrid’s players These two legs are still Saka’s only starts of 2025 after three months out with a hamstring injury — his three Premier League appearances have come from the bench He wasted no time showing why he was so missed the England international had dropped a shoulder and jinked past Luka Modric to win a foul on the edge of the Madrid box and Alaba had already been booked for needlessly clattering into Saka Warning signs were there early on in both games and set the tone for what to expect from Arsenal’s No 7 Saka also won standout fouls in the second half at the Emirates, and these led to everlasting moments. The first demonstrated the patience of a seasoned pro, with the 23-year-old teasing Alaba to make a challenge. The second showed why Fulham’s Antonee Robinson told The Athletic in October that Saka is “one of the strongest players that I’ve played against.” Shielding the ball from Bellingham he broke free with quick feet before receiving a kick from Eduardo Camavinga Both free kicks were converted by Declan Rice giving Arsenal the platform to progress to the semi-finals telling Rice to shoot if he felt it was right despite instructions to cross but his torment of Madrid went way beyond these moments ranking first in the match for progressive carries (six) and ensuring each carry ended with a problem for the opposition to solve After fooling Modric to cut onto his left foot in the opening exchanges he took the outside route as the first leg progressed Fully capable of bursting down the touchline he left Alaba and Bellingham in the dust on separate occasions before fizzing low right-footed crosses into the six-yard box The first forced Antonio Rudiger into a panicked clearance which bounced off Camavinga and just wide of the Madrid post The second, in which Alaba asked Bellingham to take Saka, flashed across the face of the goal. Rice admitted to CBS post-match that he “could have had a tap-in” if he continued his run was deflected just out of Gabriel Martinelli’s path That connection with Odegaard grew in the second half the Norwegian playing a nutmegged pass through Alaba’s legs to find him Saka’s deliveries from corners also helped Arsenal mount pressure on Thibaut Courtois in north London. His first was right on top of the keeper, forcing him to punch behind for another. The next looked to be goal-bound had it not been for William Saliba blocking it on the line. Despite leaving the game without an official goal involvement, Saka was back He may have started the second leg in a similar fashion but Saka offered Arsenal something different as they grew more comfortable at the Bernabeu Arsenal’s star was flashing a right-footed effort at Courtois’ goal Fast forward two more minutes and his dummy after cutting in floored Alaba before he aimed with his left foot just outside the box he had also carried into the box and held off Rudiger before spinning in behind for a return pass from Odegaard that didn’t come off — an unfortunate theme of an otherwise superb evening to do so in arguably the biggest game of his career so far spoke to his confidence as did his performance after the penalty miss Saka was the one to stay high and give Arsenal an out ball rather than Mikel Merino at centre-forward drawing fouls from Alaba and Lucas Vazquez as the sole Arsenal player near the halfway line helped stall the hosts’ momentum all Alaba could do was watch as Saka chested down a long pass from David Raya and then spread play out to Rice and Martinelli His goal came from being Arsenal’s out-ball past the hour mark — along with a helping hand from Merino Another long pass from Raya was flicked on by Merino for Saka to chase and after setting the ball back to Odegaard he did what all good wingers should — stay alert leaving him free to finally dink the ball over Courtois Saka then dropped back to make two interventions alongside Jurrien Timber before he was replaced by Leandro Trossard in the 77th minute. These are the efforts that stood out to Thierry Henry, who Saka FaceTimed the morning of the game. Speaking on CBS: “A lot of time people praise the back four but the way you and Martinelli defend… You did at one point to help Timber and you actually didn’t have to and you stopped the ball in the box but it’s what you do off the ball that impresses me the most.” he stepped up,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said That could be a turning point emotionally in the game because it gives him a lot of belief and the personality that he showed at his age It’s the first time he’s played in this stadium With 151 minutes played across the two legs While Dani Carvajal seemed to take issue with him as he entered the tunnel at half-time Vinicius Junior was asking for his shirt after the final whistle The goal and the Henry-esque celebration were the icing on top of an incredibly well-baked cake It was Saka’s fifth goal and seventh goal involvement in seven Champions League games this season Since Arsenal’s return to Europe’s elite last season he has been involved in 15 goals in 16 appearances Scoring at the Bernabeu did not happen by chance Saka has been on a European conquest since he arrived at the Champions League table playSaliba jokes about Rice's training free kicks after stunners vs Real Madrid (1:36)William Saliba reacts to Arsenal's 3-0 win over Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal clash The England international scored two sensational free kicks to lead Arsenal to a 3-0 win over Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal Jover was seen motioning Rice to whip the ball Given the coach's outsized influence on Arsenal's setpiece productivity this season it was assumed Jover was the one who advised Rice to bend his shot around the wall the 26-year-old said he was telling him the opposite go for it.' I looked at the wall and the keeper and thought 'I can bend this around the outside,'" Rice said post-match but I've hit the wall too many times or it's gone over the bar Originally we were going to cross it and I've just seen the wall and goalkeeper's position At first I was going to go over the wall but I practise going to the keeper's side a lot and I just went with it "It's not going to hit me now because there's another leg to go But in a few years' time this will really hit me that what I've done tonight was really special All my career I've had people telling me to shoot more and that I need to create more stuff I need to keep reminding myself that I can do it." Rice's strikes were his first-ever goals from a free kick and put Arsenal in a commanding position to reach their first Champions League semifinal since 2009 Jorginho to join Flamengo Renee Slegers reacts to 4-2 defeat to Brighton Six changes for Arsenal against Brighton Women as big guns return Brighton & Hove Albion Women v Arsenal Preview Arsenal U21s and U18s miss out on league title Bukayo Saka has hailed the maturity and influence of Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri after the teenage pair stepped up to play important roles in Arsenal’s injury-hit season Nwaneri had teased fans with his talent during early-season cameos but really came to the fore as a deputy to Saka while the England international recovered from hamstring surgery Lewis-Skelly’s emergence has arguably been all the more impressive scaling the left-back pecking order to make the role his own while also earning a debut for the Three Lions under new manager Thomas Tuchel the academy graduates have demonstrated a composure well beyond their years – something Saka Reflecting on Lewis-Skelly’s performances, including both legs of the Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid, Saka told Sky Sports: he’s 18 years old and he’s playing these type of games like he’s been playing for years especially the two legs against Real Madrid how confident he was getting the ball in the midfield “I’m so proud of him and to see the steps that he’s making When asked how far he believes his young team-mate can go Saka also revealed he’s taken on something of a big brother role with Ethan Nwaneri who initially broke into the first team as a 15-year-old They’re both doing exceptionally well Ethan’s another one – a great talent and every opportunity he’s had this season “He’s scored quite a few goals as well a really impressive season from him and from Myles they’re really giving us a boost this season.” The rise of Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly is just the latest chapter in the Hale End success story Arsenal’s academy has produced a steady stream of talent now one of Europe’s most coveted attacking talents Asked what makes the club’s academy so special Especially when you have the talent that these two guys have and the dedication Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" I have zero discernible talents and I’m still a bit of a prick How he’s fighting to be the best player in the world and is still so humble and genuine I’ll never know One thing I love is our academy players are proper academy players Certain clubs in West London rob the best 15 year old from every team south of Manchester and then 2 years later try to pass them off as “academy players” Maitland Niles etc all had real connections to the Arsenal since they were in primary school who plays LB against Madrid if MLS isn’t a thing Sterling and Tierney would’ve been starting a lot of games But is he inverting and running through the lines like MLS Arteta seems to use him basically as a defensive left winger when we are protecting a lead But what has he actually done that’s anything more than ordinary Carrying your kit in a Tesco bag to away games is not ordinary my friend It’s extraordinary in its ordinariness playArteta has no plans to rest his stars vs Crystal Palace (0:40)Mikel Arteta says the best preparation for facing PSG in the Champions League is to keep his star players fit and sharp The north London club's 5-1 aggregate win over holders Real Madrid in the quarterfinal has raised hopes of the club winning the competition for the first time in their history However their form in Europe hasn't translated on to their domestic campaign, with Mikel Arteta's side trailing leaders Liverpool by 13 points with five games to go. The Merseyside club could be crowned champions on Wednesday if Arsenal lose to Crystal Palace Despite the Premier League title out of their grasp Arteta remains reluctant to rest his talisman Saka who has only recently returned from an injury layoff that kept him out for three months when the players are fit and available and want to play they have to play," Arteta told a news conference on Wednesday "They are at their best when they are playing and they have consistency in their performances and physically and emotionally they are good They have the rhythm and that is when they are at their best If they are not in a good condition to perform we are not going to play them Bukayo Saka could be involved in Arsenal's clash against Crystal Palace on Wednesday. GettySaka has 25 goal contributions across 30 appearances in all competitions this season. He starred in Arsenal's 2-1 win at the Bernabéu last week, and also impressed in the 4-0 win at Ipswich Town on the weekend At Portman Road, Saka received a hefty challenge from Leif Davis in the first half that saw the defender sent off Arteta said: "We have to wait and see now how he reacts after the [training] session I think we'll have a good chance to play tomorrow." However, Arteta's diagnosis on Jorginho was more bleak. The Italy international went off in the draw to Brentford earlier this month with a suspected rib injury "I think Jorginho will be out for a few weeks," he said but I'm not certain [if he will play again this season] We have to see how he evolves in the next few days," he added As part of The Athletic’s Arsenal coverage our club writers are always looking for new ways to engage with supporters and comments and questions across our articles each week — as well as in our live match discussions and Q&As — and pick a few to discuss Art de Roche and Jordan Campbell below and feel free to add your own to continue the discussion Below Art’s piece on Bukayo Saka after the victory over Real Madrid Peter H said: “Saka is making a real impact on the top European stage I don’t think there’s ever been a better example in Arsenal’s history — Liam Brady and Cesc Fabregas came through the ranks but weren’t local Jack Wilshere’s career was hampered by injury.” Amy says: It is a heartwarming discussion to have and immense credit to Bukayo’s talent and temperament that he is in the company of all-time greats to have emerged through the academy already I won’t be picking a best as there are a lot to choose from many who pre-date the existence of Hale End as the hub for youth development.  Tony Adams was a one-club man who was a schoolboy with Arsenal and won the title (among many trophies) in three different decades who had attributes that chime when watching Saka next to Highbury) was one of the most accomplished club servants ever came through as one of the most gifted players to ever wear the shirt.  and if trophies are a way to measure these things Ray Parlour deserves to be in the conversation as well.  but I would not put him above some of his predecessors yet.  James says: Perhaps this remains controversial but I maintain there’s a very good case that the greatest academy product in Arsenal’s history is Ashley Cole: a homegrown Invincible who in the course of his career won three league titles (two with Arsenal) a Europa League and a Champions League — as well as playing 107 times for England the nature of Cole’s departure — and his chosen destination — left a sour taste in the mouth but there’s no arguing with his medal collection The step Saka needs to take to supersede the likes of Brady Fabregas and Cole is to win more major silverware If he can help Arsenal to their first European Cup Art says: I’d agree with James that there is still a little way to go but Saka is certainly on course for those shouts to be more than valid but he’s already made more appearances for Arsenal than Cole and Wilshere (257 to their 228 and 197 respectively) much more will go into this than just the amount of games played If he does lead Arsenal to a Champions League final win, that might do it for me, but that would very much be a generational thing For Arsenal fans whose formative years have come in the 21st century it has been rare to have a player come through the academy that is at Saka’s level while also being the face of the club’s recent progress So many people still reference his impact through the dark times of lockdown and I’m sure that will play a part in how they view him compared to others Robin B, commenting on Art’s look at the returning right-side said: “It’s tough to call who deserves the right-back spot because Jurrien Timber and Ben White are just so different.” Joe S replied: “I don’t think it’s one or other we can use both to cause different challenges without exhausting either.” It’s quite mad to consider that Arsenal were without Timber last season and have been without White for most of this one they would have given Arteta much more flexibility at right-back which could have made a massive difference.  As both Robin and Joe explained in their longer posts they’re two different but equally good options to have Using White in games where you may need more variation in attack and Timber in matches where you would want more defensive solidity then I would assume Timber would edge it as he has more match practice If I was to start White in one of the games as that is where you are expected to do most of your attacking but Timber’s defending could be useful in both legs considering PSG’s attacking threats out wide Jordan: It’s a luxury that Arteta hasn’t been afforded due to injury but it says a lot about how unassumingly impressive Timber has been that White the master decoy for Saka and Martin Odegaard on the right flank for three years I think Timber can add even more going forward and it has been good to see recently he has been driving forward with the ball when space presents itself but he is more press-resistant than White and has the edge technically for me.  White’s overlaps and recovery running is a major asset and I expect both to be used in different circumstances but Arsenal need to keep evolving and I think he is another marginal upgrade In Art’s Q&A last week I have a feeling that just everything will be great from now on until forever but… I totally understand where you’re coming from Nights like the one at the Bernabeu really do feel special It’s a very exciting time to be an Arsenal fan Football moves in cycles — even the most dominant eras come to an end That’s why it’s all the more important to cherish the good times.  Amy: If you have the secret for eternal greatness enjoy the moments that elevate us out of the mundane Himad said on James’ match piece after the Madrid second leg: “I remember the shameful exits in Europa League how we thought the gaffer wasn’t at it yet We used to be eliminated 10-2 against such opponents James: Arteta has certainly dramatically changed the club and his improving record in European knockout football is cause for encouragement but it’s difficult to see Arsenal suffering such a “10-2” mauling any time soon Arteta and Arsenal will reflect on this season with considerable pride: they have faced a number of obstacles and nonetheless largely managed to remain competitive — and it could yet end in glory… On Jordan’s match briefing after the win over Ipswich said: “I saw Myles at No 6 when Declan Rice was subbed I think that’s very interesting for when we’re facing a low block and want the full-backs wide and winger tucked in next to the two No 8s.“ Lewis-Skelly spends a fair portion of the game in that area already it is where his most eye-catching work comes when he receives the ball under pressure he often ghosts into those pockets because the pivot player He is staggeringly composed on the ball for his age but I’d be reluctant to put the onus on him being the tempo-setter at the moment as there are times when he chooses the brave option and risks a turnover.  That is part of what makes him so exciting but it’s also why it suits him to be the player who interrupts the rhythm and shifts Arsenal through the gears right now.  I can envisage him moving back into the centre of the pitch over time and can see the merit in having him at No 6 but I wouldn’t want to shackle him with the responsibility that comes with that yet when his more explosive role coming off the flank allows him more margin for error.  some of the most successful and strategic Fantasy Premier League managers are making key transfers to stay ahead We've broken down the five most common moves this week to help guide your thinking before the deadline Get 30 days of Premium Plus – completely free Pay absolutely nothing to unlock the tools that can turn your season around 👉Click here now to claim your exclusive 30-day free Premium offer! Here are the top five most transferred-in players, according to the Transfer Analytics tool Some managers have gone early on Mbeumo and Wissa despite Brentford still having to play Nottingham Forest tonight—fingers crossed they avoid any injuries It’s no surprise to see the Manchester City duo of Gvardiol and Marmoush among the most popular picks with a home fixture against Wolves in Gameweek 35 Cunha’s inclusion is unexpected given that he plays away at City—but his 15-point haul last Gameweek likely prompted a few knee-jerk transfers posting just 3 points across his last three appearances Saka played the full 90 mins against PSG last night. 🕐How many mins do you think he’ll get against Bournemouth? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/IrfVfdnWik With a serious risk of limited minutes and tricky upcoming fixtures (BOU many managers are moving to the in-form Mbeumo who’s returned 23 points over the same period with 2 goals and an assist FUL) and high xFPL (17.38) suggest further returns Rashford looks set to miss the rest of the season and his form has been inconsistent regardless Mbeumo is thriving—offering both a strong attacking threat and the safety of likely high effective ownership in Gameweek 25 the swap from Rashford to Mbeumo is proving popular among managers looking to minimise risk It’s no surprise that Mbeumo was included in a recent Wildcard team generated by our Algorithm for the run-in registering a goal and two bonus points in just 166 minutes of action recently The New Zealand forward is enjoying a standout campaign with 19 goals to his name—fewer only than Salah (28) Palmer has returned just 10 points over his last three matches Cole Palmer has gone 103 days without scoring a Premier League goal. 😭 pic.twitter.com/uM9bQoH4eC It’s been a real season of two halves for him he averaged an impressive 7.8 points per game—but since then With Liverpool up next and Mbeumo offering both form and fixtures who has delivered 20 points across his last three appearances and continues to create chances regularly with two of those opponents potentially distracted by European commitments Given his attacking threat, Bowen is a viable punt—and he’s even earned a spot in this week’s Top 5 Differentials blog Managers making gains are focusing on players with strong recent form and favourable fixtures Mbeumo emerges as the standout pick for Gameweek 35, as highlighted by Corey Baker—a four-time top 10k finisher—in his recent article outlining his strategy for the run-in as he aims to secure a fifth top 10k finish Join 89% of our members who won their main mini-league last season Already a Premium user? Login here © fantasyfootballfix 2024  |  Terms of Use  |  Privacy Policy  |  Contact Us The French media have assessed Arsenal’s performance against Paris Saint-Germain with England international Bukayo Saka given a harsh rating The Gunners were deservedly beaten 1-0 by PSG in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final tie on Tuesday night PSG were the superior side as Ousmane Dembele extended his lead atop our 2025 top scorer in Europe ranking scoring the only goal in his side’s win vs Arsenal Arsenal could not match their performances vs Real Madrid in the first leg against PSG and will arguably have to produce their best showing of the season if they are to turn the tie around and reach the Champions League final PSG certainly won the attacking-third battle and the French outlet MaxiFoot have hit out at Saka even though he was Arsenal’s best forward on Tuesday evening “In a team that had been dormant for a long time the Arsenal winger had the merit of sounding the revolt in the first half the England international brought life,” MaxiFoot said when explaining their 4/10 rating the Gunners’ best moves often came from him and he was able to put pressure on Mendes he still made some wasteful plays and was especially discreet after half-time.” Foot Mercato were far more forgiving of Saka’s performance the English winger was the most dangerous attacker of the match for the London side he tried to get the ball out to break up his block and sent a shot into Gianluigi Donnarumma’s gloves “He then did a great job to serve [Gabriel] Martinelli he was booked for a gesture of frustration after a generous foul awarded to Nuno Mendes.” Gunners captain Martin Odegaard has also been criticised after he was a “real ghost” against PSG “The Norwegian was a real ghost,” Foot Mercato wrote on their 3.5/10 rating Martin Odegaard continually made bad decisions in the game giving the ball back to the Parisian defense too often in his attempts to put the game forward losing a very dangerous ball after attempting a step-over in front of his area.” MaxiFoot gave Odegaard a harsher 3/10 score: “The Arsenal captain was a disappointment in this European fixture “Pushed around by the Parisians’ aggression the Norwegian lost most of his duels and seemed unable to stay afloat in his team’s difficult periods the former Madrid player was relatively discreet.” © Planet Sport Limited 2025 • All Rights Reserved Seattle City Councilmember Rob Saka this week took an unscheduled opportunity to reaffirm a 2021 decision by the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) to drop planned safety infrastructure in the North Delridge neighborhood which came in response to a public comment made at the council’s transportation committee represented a detour from the meeting’s published agenda and resurfaced a debate that had Saka been involved in before he was elected to the council in 2023 i hear Rob Saka is whining that people are laughing at him for his bizarre obsession with a small traffic safety curb. that's why every DOOM LOOP cartoon will be about Curby from now on[image or embed] Diverters would have prevented the greenway from being used as a substitute for Delridge for the full length of the corridor; drivers would have been required to take a right turn at either Brandon or Genesee 26th Avenue SW is the only designated north-south bike route in the area The 2014 Bicycle Master Plan called for protected bike lanes on Delridge Way but the final design for the H Line project included only a southbound bike lane south of SW Juneau Street That leave no safe facility to connect to the West Seattle Bridge Trail or to the Alki Trail — other than transferring to a greenway The 2024 Seattle Transportation Plan doesn’t include any bike facilities on Delridge; 26th Ave SW is the main event at least for people who live west of the corridor If you don’t feel safe using the greenway there are few options available to get around by bike in the neighborhood SDOT rolled out plans for the two traffic diverters with a relatively short notice before construction was slated to begin but the City received intense pushback and almost immediately walked back the plan A major concern was the fact that drivers wouldn’t be able to turn left to get onto Genesee Street to head to Alaska Junction where most of West Seattle’s grocery stores SDOT’s neighborhood greenway team held a public meeting again floating the idea of installing the full traffic diverters at the two intersections but this time providing alternative options including diverters that would have allowed left turns Without physical barriers blocking drivers from heading straight the alternative design would have been easier for scofflaw drivers to disregard but would have assuaged many of the concerns As a third option, SDOT also proposed a “stay healthy street” that included no diverters at all, just signage recommending drivers take another route. The full video for this meeting is still available online It was at that fall 2020 meeting where Saka spoke against all three of the options proposed “It feels like what you’re doing is jamming this down our throats and I think there’s a better way to go about all this,” Saka said then We don’t want what SDOT is selling here The process should be community-led and community-driven SDOT is ramming this down our throats without any input.” That meeting itself was to gather input on the proposed options, none of which ultimately ended up moving forward at all. SDOT did say they would reevaluate the issue again after the reopening of the West Seattle Bridge in 2022 This brings us to today, where safety issues on the 26th Avenue SW greenway have not been resolved by doing nothing — which hardly comes to a surprise to safe streets advocates. Now, Saka is the chair of the Seattle City Council’s Transportation Committee and this week a local resident brought up the current state of the greenway during public comment at the committee I’ve seen the consequences firsthand,” North Delridge resident Max Baker told the transportation committee “I’ve witnessed a person struck by a car south of Brandon Street breaking their leg while the driver sped away Another hit-and-run took someone’s life further south after a shooting at Greg Davis Park along the greenway racing past the Delridge playfields and through the intersection at Genesee The city’s fixation on traffic throughput helped them escape.” Though the meeting was scheduled to transition to a presentation on automatic speed cameras after Baker raised his past advocacy against the diverters “My recollection from that phone call was that the overwhelming majority of community support explicitly rejected a then-proposal by the department to install a traffic diverter on 26th to prevent left hand turns on Genesee,” Saka said “I understand it wasn’t a unanimous consensus or a unanimous view but it is a view that I certainly championed at the time to install a traffic diverter and install left hand turns in a food desert rendering Delridge the only single point of access to any fresh foods After a public commenter described safety issues on the 26th Ave SW greenway in West Seattle Rob Saka went off script at the transportation committee and defended the removal of proposed traffic diverters from plans for the greenway Only one of the three options presented in 2020 would have prohibited left turns onto Genesee but at the time Saka had criticized all three an issue he sidestepped this week to focus on alleged equity impacts to his neighborhood As a neighborhood that lacks grocery stores Delridge residents who get around without a car and chose to use a bike also need a safe way to access other parts of the city “It doesn’t make a lot of sense from my perspective draconian measure that has a significant impact on neighborhoods and communities That said: I welcome any feedback about how the department can make 26th safer short of installing a barrier preventing left turns onto Genesee.” and Saka has also pushed for specific projects to be included in SDOT’s 2025 levy delivery plan The $1.55 billion levy also includes a plan to install bike infrastructure improvements in memory of Steve Hulsman who was killed while riding his bike in West Seattle in 2023 Whether a solution for 26th that makes everyone happy can be found remains to be seen but for now Saka is standing by his past position that cancelling the traffic diverters was the right decision — a move that continues to play out today when it comes to the safety of people trying to get around in North Delridge Ryan Packer has been writing for The Urbanist since 2015 and currently reports full-time as Contributing Editor Packer has also reported for other regional outlets including Capitol Hill Seattle They live in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle The Urbanist hosts social hour meetups every month. In April, we’re hosting four social events and kicking off our urbanism-themed walking tours starting in Kirkland on April 26 we’ll be hosting a booth at the opening celebration at Downtown Redmond Station Check our urbanist events calendar to see everything happening this month, including events hosted by partner organizations. You can submit your event for inclusion Bukayo Saka has a good chance of playing against Crystal Palace on Wednesday Mikel Arteta confirmed in his pre-match press conference Speaking at Sobha Realty Training Centre on Tuesday who came off in the 57th minute of Sunday's 4-0 win at Ipswich Town has responded well to a reckless tackle from Leif Davis "We have to wait and see how he reacts after the [next training] session but it’s nothing too serious," Arteta explained I think he would have a good chance to play tomorrow." Asked for the latest on the fitness of Riccardo Calafiori and Jorginho Arteta isn't expecting either of them back in the immediate future "For Jorginho I think unfortunately it will be a few weeks "I hope so [to have him back before the end of the season] So we have to see how he evolves in the next few days So the doctor was quite cautious still about talking about any dates It was quite a scary situation and he's in a good place now So now we learn many more things about the player and how we can be much more on top of certain situations to try to prevent them.  they've been really unlucky and very little that we could have done differently." A selection of tickets remain available via the Ticket Exchange “Bukayo is ready to go” are the words everyone involved with Arsenal have been waiting to hear They came from Mikel Arteta before the visit of Fulham today “We played once (a game behind closed doors) but before that he had six consecutive sessions with the team and he was good,” the manager added So that’s why I’m sure that we have managed to replicate almost every scenario.” Out for three months with a hamstring tear, Saka’s absence has made it abundantly clear — if it was not already — that he has been Arsenal’s driving force over the past six years reached 250 appearances for the club in December’s 5-1 win at Crystal Palace He also became the second-youngest Arsenal player to hit that tally in the modern era after Cesc Fabregas who achieved the feat aged 22 and 215 days Weeks after the injury, in the pre-Aston Villa press conference in January Mikel Arteta said: “He needs to get away for a few days and refresh.” going on a week-long holiday with his family where he tried to take advantage of his first major injury lay-off to be more present with those around him His rehab ramped up during Arsenal’s February trip to Dubai but travelling to Dubai meant quality time with the group rather than being left to rehab alone at Arsenal’s training ground during which Saka was back training with the ball at his feet Saka is on the verge of returning to action — for which Arsenal will be all the better for many reasons This is Saka’s fifth season wearing the No 7 shirt The England winger’s evolution in that time is obvious if you look at his numbers but those milestones have also been represented in other ways Those who walk by Highbury & Islington train station on their way to the Emirates will be familiar with the street corner near Big Papa’s Peri Peri. In September 2021, following his first major tournament with England New Balance used the space to promote Saka: “This is Bukayo This was a month before his 100th Arsenal appearance Persil used the same space at the start of this season But he had shed the ‘Little Chilli’ nickname given to him by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang His immediate reaction was to cup his ears before running to former Arsenal team-mate Aaron Ramsdale He did so again after scoring in the penalty shootout and carried that extra air of outward confidence into this season A few weeks before his 23rd birthday, he shrugged nonchalantly to celebrate scoring on the opening day of the Premier League season against Wolverhampton Wanderers Away at Aston Villa in Arsenal’s second league game who were booing him for a fourth season in a row Those around him could sense this was a different Saka from the one who had left for Euro 2024 earlier in the summer While he has had to deal with repeated trophy near-misses for club and country He is increasingly a leader on and off the field There were signs of this development last season When he scored with the ball bouncing off his chest against Lens manager Arteta said in his post-match press conference: “That’s a different edge to score ugly goals as well That’s a different kind of aggression that’s good in this game and that’s a really positive thing to see.” This is an area of Saka’s game that Arteta wanted to see develop. November’s trip to West Ham United this season is a good example Saka assisted twice and scored again at the London Stadium But he was also the first to back Jurrien Timber as West Ham players surrounded the right-back on the touchline, as he did in September’s north London derby win when Guglielmo Vicario had Timber by the shirt Martin Odegaard was back wearing the captain’s armband by West Ham away but Saka had benefited from two months with it Saka joined Arsenal’s leadership group at the start of this season and after his first few matches with the armband Arteta discussed his development during the pre-Shakhtar Donetsk press conference “We had discussions and said certain things that we had to do to give him the right example,” the manager said to give him the direction of what kind of leader he wanted to be.” “It was a natural thing for him,” Odegaard said of his deputy in a pre-Monaco press conference “He’s grown into a leader in the team and he can do that in his own way but he enjoyed it and it was well-deserved that he got the armband for a few games as well.” Saka loved his time with the armband, apparently feeling no stress about the situation. In a conversation with Theo Walcott for Amazon Prime he said: “I think pressure is kind of made up.” Odegaard would be in the changing room before and after games at the Emirates before heading to his box Saka is close with most of the squad and their trust and respect for him as captain seems natural He was in a good position to make decisions for the group, but there was still a learning curve. He had worn the armband once previously, against Sheffield United last season but doing so for six starts provided new experiences that might be overlooked on TV or in the stands — the importance of communicating with a referee to calm situations or setting an example in more intense matches but blending that with setting the example and understanding his team-mates has been essential to his growth as a leader he made the effort to be in the changing room before and after matches while out injured He also remained present for team meetings during his recovery making sure he was still part of the group That presence was recently seen on the international stage when Saka was pictured at Wembley during England’s 3-0 win over Latvia It would have been his decision to attend Thomas Tuchel’s second match in charge of the national team Travelling to England’s training camps was considered but supporting his team-mates and meeting Tuchel at Wembley made more sense logistically Another major part of Saka’s evolution has been his output The England international has reached double figures for goal involvements for four consecutive seasons in the Premier League The winger does not research his own numbers but will be made aware of relevant milestones he can achieve going into matches His challenge is always to contribute to a win when he scored his ninth and 10th league goals of the season (his previous best goals tally for a season was 14 “I have my own targets,” he told reporters “I just try to stay in my own lane and stay focused on what I wanted to achieve at the start of the season I’m still going and I’ve got quite a few more to go.” Saka went on to set a new personal record for league goals in a season with 16 he is just one assist away from his best return in a league season (11) Saka’s 10 league assists see him ranked joint-second in the Premier League this season alongside Antonee Robinson and Mikkel Damsgaard Five of those assists came in the opening five games of the season matching a record set by Thierry Henry at the start of the 2004-05 season He had also created more Opta-defined ‘big chances’ than anyone in the league (19) by the time of his injury — a number Mohamed Salah (21) only surpassed in recent weeks As decisive as he had ever been in an Arsenal shirt and particularly important when Odegaard was out injured the thought of what Saka could have achieved this season had he stayed injury-free will likely haunt those affiliated with Arsenal Saka is five and a half years older than Ethan Nwaneri and five years older than Myles Lewis-Skelly The example he has set in the six years since he was integrated into the first team has made a significant impact Saka often highlights David Luiz and Alexandre Lacazette as senior players who helped him adapt to the first-team environment Saka has even closer experience to Arsenal’s current youngsters “I always have to make myself available to him if he needs to speak to me,” Saka told Walcott when asked about Nwaneri in that Amazon Prime conversation Saka’s leadership qualities could be seen in a joint post-match interview with Lewis-Skelly after the Monaco win The pair were in a world of their own before realising the first question had begun and then Saka told TNT Sports: “I said to him He needs to have no doubts and play with confidence.” Playing with no doubts has been a trait of Saka’s since before he made his first-team debut. It is what made Freddie Ljungberg fight to move him into the under-23s squad in the 2018-19 season, which saw him play against senior teams for the first time in the EFL Trophy. Just months later, Unai Emery was selecting him in the Europa League where he showed the same fearlessness that has carried him this far it is not just what Saka does on the pitch that draws people to him During seven games without a win in late 2020 You deserve more Arsenal fans 💔 pic.twitter.com/oWrcjchIZd — Bukayo Saka (@BukayoSaka87) December 16, 2020 He will always be the one to post on his social media accounts Towards the end of this international break posting a photo of himself in training with a thumb up captioned “Hello again” Arsenal fans across social media were delighted and the post had 489,000 likes within 24 hours A post shared by Bukayo Saka (@bukayosaka87) He is the third-youngest player to make 250 appearances for Arsenal after Cesc Fabregas and David O’Leary. On his way to hitting that tally, Saka overtook another beloved No 7 in David Rocastle Next on the list are Nacho Monreal (251 games) But the biggest difference between him and the names etched in Arsenal folklore is silverware something he wants to deliver as much as anyone  (Top photo: Saka with the captain’s armband ahead of playing Liverpool in October; by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images) Real Madrid’s Dani Carvajal grabbed Saka by the back of the neck as he tried to walk down the tunnel I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Bukayo Saka was confronted by Real Madrid captain Dani Carvajal as he made his way down the tunnel at half-time of Arsenal’s victory at the Bernabeu The incident came after Saka had missed a first-half penalty in the Champions League quarter-final with his attempted ‘Panenka’ saved by Thibaut Courtois Saka redeemed himself by chipping Courtois in the second half, with Arsenal progressing 5-1 on aggregate to reach the Champions League semi-finals for only the third time a heated moment came at the half-time break as the players went down the tunnel who grabbed the winger and said a word in his ear then pulled Saka back towards him after he turns to walk away Saka reacted angrily before Carvajal grabbed him by the neck and attempted to follow him Saka then turned to face Carvajal before the players were separated with security and Arsenal officials stepping in to block off Saka and allow him to go down the tunnel Arsenal substitute Ben White was also involved in telling Carvajal to walk away with the 33-year-old Spain defender eventually leaving Saka alone Carvajal had marked Saka during the Euro 2024 final He at one point looked to goade Saka by making a ‘crying’ gesture following a foul was able to shake off his penalty miss and steer Arsenal towards the semi-finals with a composed finish in the second half Afterwards, Saka was clearly relieved but explained he believed he was going to score in the Bernabeu despite his penalty miss, while manager Mikel Arteta joked that he wanted to “slap him” at the time. “It can happen,” Saka told TNT Sports. "I tried something, but it didn't work. I was confident I was going to score tonight. I learn in every moment. Tonight, I am more focused on enjoying the win and then I will review it properly.” Arteta said: “I would have liked to slap him. But the player has to make the decision, and he was bold enough to do it. “That could have been a turning point emotionally in the game because it gave them a lot of belief. But then the way he handled the situation, and the way he played afterwards was incredible.” Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies The Oyo State Government has approved the nomination and appointment of Dr Saka Balogun as the new Balogun of Ogbomosoland This was disclosed in a statement by the Commissioner for Information a document from the office of the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters revealed that the stool of the Balogun of Ogbomosoland has been vacant following the demise of the former Balogun of Ogbomosoland Saka Balogun was unanimously nominated by the Balogun Taiwo Atere-Gbebi Ruling House and endorsed by the Soun of Ogbomosoland to assume the position of his fore-fathers He said the new Balogun’s confirmation is in line with the Chiefs Law Cap 2000 and his appointment is effective from 28th April has celebrated the Chief Imam of Ibadanland His Eminence Sheik Abdulganiyy Abubakry Agbotomokekere Suites and Exclusive Bar and Mogaji of Eegunjenmi Family of Itutaba Oje The Oyo State Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (OY-RAAMP) has awarded contracts worth N3.5 billion for the first phase.. The Media team of the Fendini Group of Company has extended their warmest congratulations to the Chief Executive officer of.. Please enter your username or email address to reset your password Arsenal followed the high of their dismantling of Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals with a straightforward victory over Ipswich Town Mikel Arteta’s side face Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-finals in Europe and used Sunday’s Premier League game at Portman Road to field a strong side featuring eight of the team who started at the Bernabeu on Wednesday night That brought the advantage of more minutes for Bukayo Saka as he gets back up to speed following a lengthy injury lay-off Leandro Trossard up front and a midfield with Declan Rice at No 6 and Mikel Merino in front as shown by the foul on Saka that resulted in a first-half red card for Ipswich’s Leif Davis Trossard put Arsenal in front after a dominant start finishing following a driving run by Martin Odegaard and a cutback from Saka Gabriel Martinelli then doubled the lead with his 50th goal for Arsenal before Davis was sent off Trossard added a third and Ethan Nwaneri a fourth With Crystal Palace also to play at home on Wednesday before the first leg against PSG at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday Arteta will be hoping for a similarly comfortable match then Jordan Campbell analyses the action from Portman Road Bukayo Saka coming off after 57 minutes would usually be a cause for concern if you are an Arsenal fan but on this occasion it brought a sigh of relief This was just his sixth game back after a three-month hamstring lay-off He showed over the two legs against Real Madrid that he does not need long to rediscover his sharpness but given they are so far behind title-bound Liverpool with only five matches left every league outing feels like a risk for Arsenal with a Champions League semi-final now nine days away Another start was good for Saka’s fitness but a reckless tackle from Leif Davis in the first half which saw the Ipswich full-back shown a straight red card Davis looked like he lost patience with Saka’s ability to hold him off with his back to goal and The ankle rolled over and it looked like the challenge could have seriously injured Saka as he received treatment from the medical staff but Mikel Arteta’s decision to take his star forward off shortly after half-time so he could have ice applied to the area given that whack by Davis It was an isolated incident on this occasion but Saka is often consistently fouled during games and there was no need to risk any further damage before Gabriel Martinelli and Declan Rice were also given the rest of the day off after 72 minutes The one area that felt worthwhile remaining untouched was William Saliba and Jakub Kiwior who have to continue to gel and build chemistry at centre-back with Gabriel lost to a hamstring injury for the rest of the season Martinelli’s 15 goals and five assists in 2022-23 was an incredible return for a 21-year-old then in only his third full season in English football but it has undoubtedly cast a shadow over his two seasons since The Brazilian has been unable to recapture that form or deliver the same level of end-product but his finish on Sunday took him beyond last season’s tally of six (plus four assists) and to a half-century of first-team goals for the club he joined as a teenager in 2019 Gabriel Martinelli is the fourth-youngest player in Arsenal’s history to score 5️⃣0️⃣ goals across all competitions: 💻 @Squawka pic.twitter.com/jgzQjKUd9P — Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 20, 2025 It makes him the fourth-youngest player in Arsenal’s history to reach 50 goals a reminder that Martinelli still has his best years ahead of him He has had to switch to the right flank at times in Saka’s absence but since returning to the left side in recent weeks he has been decisive and played with the incision he showed two years ago He timed his run to get on the end of Merino’s flick perfectly here scoring in back-to-back games after his breakaway effort sealed a memorable victory at the Bernabeu in midweek and he looked like a player who has regained that vital confidence in front of goal Arsenal’s best moves at Portman Road still came down Saka’s right flank is picking his moments to be direct and drive into space well Now they have their two main wingers both fit and firing again though it feels like Arsenal have their firepower and variety back Leandro Trossard had managed only two goals this calendar year but his double against Ipswich today showed why he is still a viable option for Arteta as a makeshift striker Merino has been performing the role better than anyone could have hoped since stepping into the injured Kai Havertz’s shoes in February but Trossard represents a different playing profile His movement as a false nine saw him link Arsenal’s play and when he peeled out to the right flank to combine with Odegaard The Belgian has struggled for form in recent months but is still arguably the finest finisher at the club He missed an early chance when he took two touches as opposed to taking the cutback on first time but he is at his best when he is instinctive — as he proved with his next two looks at goal He redeemed himself by producing two clever finishes threading the ball through the legs of a defender on both occasions bursting forward from the left No 8 position when Trossard dropped deeper It gave Arsenal fluency to their attacks and allowed Arteta to experiment with both striking options on the pitch It is likely that Merino retains the No 9 position for the PSG tie and his awareness to find Martinelli with a superb backheel today has to make it a contender for assist of the season His skill set is so varied and he helped Arsenal counter-press to an exceptional level in the first half with Rice back at the base of midfield behind him Speaking after the match about the red-card challenge on Saka Arteta said: “The referee’s made a decision He was a bit sore but it’s nothing serious just the normal-paced image and he cuts him from the back I don’t think it’s intentional at all but obviously it’s dangerous because he (Saka) cannot react to anything because he cannot see him coming.” When asked if he worries about his player in situations like that especially with the numbers we have right now and when they have their back to goal because normally it’s the moment when your foot is planted your weight is there and you cannot really react to it Looking ahead to the home game against Palace on Wednesday he said: “We have to put 11 players out there and have four or five changes so let’s see how they recover in the next few days The good thing is they are willing to play because they like that rhythm We are so used to playing every three days that the boys are demanding (to play) and then we don’t have a game on the weekend (when originally scheduled opponents Palace are instead playing in the FA Cup semi-finals).” The winger was on the end of a red-card tackle by Leif Davis in the comfortable Premier League win at Ipswich Mikel Arteta said he hopes Leif Davis’ “dangerous” red-card tackle on Bukayo Saka will not stop his star winger from playing in Arsenal’s Champions League semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain Saka was withdrawn just 10 minutes into the second half of Arsenal’s 4-0 win at Ipswich and had an ice pack applied to his right ankle following Davis’ late challenge Davis was shown a straight red card and VAR did not intervene with referee Chris Kavanagh’s decision after it was adjudged that the Ipswich defender had “endangered Saka’s safety” Saka limped towards the tunnel at the conclusion of the game Arteta is confident the England international who has only just returned from a near four-month injury lay-off following hamstring surgery will be fit to face PSG in the first leg at the Emirates a week on Tuesday “I don’t think it is intentional but it was dangerous,” said Arteta “I do (worry) with the numbers that we have right now especially when the player has his back to goal because that is the moment when the foot is planted Just four days after they sealed their place in the semi-finals with a remarkable 5-1 aggregate victory over Real Madrid Arsenal were a goal to the good inside 14 minutes when Leandro Trossard converted Saka’s cross Gabriel Martinelli doubled their advantage before the half-hour mark before Davis was dismissed Trossard completed his brace on 69 minutes with Saka’s replacement And Arteta continued: “We are really happy The first 35 minutes is one of the best we have played this season with a very high intensity and understanding what we had to do to win and were then able to make certain rotations A defeat for Arsenal would have allowed Liverpool the chance to claim the title later on Sunday, but their wait will go on. Ipswich avoid relegation for now, but their fate is likely to be sealed next weekend with West Ham now only needing a draw at Brighton to send Kieran McKenna’s men straight back to the Championship. Commenting on Davis’ dismissal, McKenna said: “At the time, I didn’t think it was. But it was on the far side of the pitch, and that is more because I don’t think Leif has a malicious bone in his body. There was certainly no intent to cause an injury. “But when you see it on the replay, it is a high challenge. I can see why the referee gave it, and once it was given, it is not going to be overruled, so I can’t really have any complaints. “Arsenal started really well, and we thought it was the highest standard we have faced this season. The group was at full stretch. Their execution was better, their quality shone through, and they were the better team. The red card made it an almost impossible task.” When Bukayo Saka suffered the first major injury of his career in December, there was naturally a sense of anxiety over how speedily Arsenal could get their main goal threat back on the pitch But as their hopes of winning silverware this season slipped away in his absence dropping 11 points from 11 Premier League games and going out of both cups inextricably linked to a season-defining Champions League quarter-final against 15-time winners and reigning champions Real Madrid Will he be ready in time to start its first leg at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday How much of a risk is it to throw him into a fixture of that magnitude How many tune-up games does he need to be close to his maximum “Bukayo is ready to go,” said Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta before this Tuesday’s 2-1 home win against Fulham in the Premier League so now it’s about putting him on the grass in the right moments but he is pushing because he really wants it It was not long into the recovery process that the Fulham game on April 1 became the target for Saka to return It marked 101 days (14 weeks) from the injury happening away to Crystal Palace on December 21 and was Arsenal’s first match after a two-week international break which presented a clean re-entry rather than having to find an opportune moment in a packed schedule But it means he now has just one more game before Arsenal host Madrid in what is essentially a cup final for their season Arteta now has to decide whether he brings him off the bench again at Goodison Park or tries to maximise his minutes on the pitch before Carlo Ancelotti’s men roll into town Is it enough time for Saka to be ready to perform at the very elite level and what does it feel like for a player to come in cold following an injury to one of the biggest games of their career who joined Arsenal as assistant physiotherapist in 1995 and was their head of medical services between 2008 and 2018 believes that the decision to operate on Saka’s damaged hamstring should provide the club with more confidence if they do decide to start him against Madrid next week “The medical team at Arsenal are quality professionals The reason for that surgery would have been to decrease that re-injury rate and make sure the two ends of that tear are nicely opposed (joined back together) rather than not doing the surgery and letting scar tissue fill in that gap,” Lewin tells The Athletic like Bukayo or Kai Havertz (the Arsenal forward suffered a similar injury during the club’s warm-weather training break to Dubai in February) you are almost sewing the two ends back together again rather than leaving a defect in the middle the body would repair (in the latter circumstances) but it wouldn’t repair with the same quality of tissue as pulling them back together “We wouldn’t have been doing these hamstring surgeries 20 years ago We have begun to recognise which ones benefit from surgery and it is largely down to the improvements in surgeons and the quality of the imaging in MRIs (magnetic resonance imaging scans).” Lewin believes that if former Liverpool and England striker Michael Owen had been a young player in today’s era rather than the late 1990s he would likely have had surgery, as he suffered repeated hamstring tears after his first injury at the age of 19 It severely impacted the second half of Owen’s career as he became scared of sprinting into the channels and was forced into changing his playing style Hamstring injuries can be tough psychologically on players They normally happen without warning and one sprint can see them out of action for months Former Arsenal and Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain who had experienced five previous hamstring injuries in his career underwent surgery after suffering a significant tear in December 2023 Lewin helped get him back on the pitch just over three months later — and there have been no recurrences since The timeline between injury and return date for seriously torn hamstrings is usually 12 to 14 weeks They chose not to have a behind-closed-doors friendly during the March international break which would have given him a first taste of football after three months out but there is a standard set of protocols players follow before they can progress to match action The initial post-surgery plan is simply about protecting the muscle and allowing it to heal in the optimum position which means keeping the affected leg in a brace to prevent the hamstring being stretched or put under strain It is then about strengthening the area concerned starting with isometric work (static holds in which the muscles don’t move) followed by concentric (muscle curling and shortening) and eccentric (muscle lengthening under tension) work Running can begin anywhere from around six weeks after the injury and is gradually intensified as the player’s overall conditioning improves Lewin would usually want two weeks of full training followed by some tune-up games before throwing a returning player into a big game but the reality of modern football means that managers/head coaches often need to take a risk “We can sit on hamstring strains for months and months and they wouldn’t recur but you’d be sacked (for delaying a player’s return),” Lewin says “Physios are there to educate on the risk and can’t always get it right You need confidence to sprint and we know hamstring injuries tend to affect sprint athletes more Arsenal will be concerned with Bukayo hitting his usual sprint speed and sprint volume in training that he will achieve in a game “But there is no better psychology than doing 10 or 12 sessions and realising you are hitting top speed again and again and again But you can’t always wait that long for Saturday It is about educated gambles and risk analysis.” There have been plenty of examples of a player racing back from injury just in time for a mammoth Ian Wright’s double off the bench for Crystal Palace in the 1990 FA Cup final against Manchester United which he later picked out as the greatest moment of his life came in his first competitive game following several months out with a broken leg Palace manager Steve Coppell had arranged a few warm-up games for him but Wright was so determined to be fit for the final that he did not commit himself fully which saw him warned that his final preparation game would need to be different or he would be left out of the showpiece event His two-goal substitute cameo took the final to a replay showing that adrenaline can be a powerful force Centre-backs David Luiz and Gary Cahill were rushed back for Chelsea’s 2012 Champions League final against Bayern Munich after almost a month out with hamstring injuries due to fellow defenders John Terry and Branislav Ivanovic both being suspended That gamble ended in glory but it is easier for a defender to return in such circumstances than an attacker as they have a less explosive role which does not require as many sharp movements Tottenham saw how being ready to return to play is not always the same as being ready to perform at your best in the 2019 Champions League final Harry Kane suffered ankle ligament damage in the first leg of their quarter-final against Manchester City on April 9 and missed the next nine games he replaced Lucas Moura — who scored a hat-trick in the semi-final comeback win at Ajax — in the starting XI for that final against Liverpool Kane failed to impress and though many outsiders claimed he was not fit people inside the club knew that he was going to be ready as he had two full weeks of training Perhaps the best example of someone not missing a beat after a lengthy period of inactivity is Per Mertesacker who captained Arsenal against Premier League winners Chelsea in the 2017 FA Cup final He had suffered a knee injury in pre-season that kept him out until the March and even after returning he was either an unused substitute or left out of the squad completely But then Arsene Wenger lost Shkodran Mustafi to a concussion in the penultimate league game of the season away to Sunderland and both Gabriel Paulista to a knee injury and Laurent Koscielny to a red card suspension in the final match against Everton It meant a 32-year-old Mertesacker only had the final 37 minutes of Arsenal’s 3-1 win at the Emirates Stadium that day before being placed at the heart of a makeshift back three at Wembley for what was his first start in 392 days “Per had been training every day for months but there was the realisation that he had missed the whole season and was coming up against (Chelsea’s powerful striker) Diego Costa,” Lewin says “It wasn’t Arsene’s way to chuck a player in but I think he only had one card left to play He decided to put three at the back to help Per with two quick boys (Rob Holding and full-back Nacho Monreal) either side “There was no chat about how rusty he was afterwards as he kept Costa quiet and we won 2-1.” There have been many races against the clock ahead of major tournaments particularly where Manchester United and England are concerned David Beckham’s broken metatarsal (one of the small bones in the middle of your foot) in April 2002 caused a national crisis ahead of the World Cup finals in South Korea and Japan but he recovered in time and scored the winning penalty against Argentina in the group stage Wayne Rooney faced a similar predicament ahead of the next World Cup four years later after he too suffered a broken metatarsal in late April Rooney also returned and performed reasonably well before being sent off in the quarter-final against Portugal Luke Shaw at last year’s European Championship was another case He had not started for club or country since the February but returned four months later as a substitute in England’s quarter-final and semi-final before Gareth Southgate opted to begin with him at left-back in the final against Spain It made him only the second player to make his only Euros start in the final since Italy’s Marco Delvecchio did the same in 2000 Gareth Bale also made it back in time to lead Wales to qualification for their first World Cup in 64 years despite only starting four games for Real Madrid the previous season calf and back issues but started their single-leg play-off against Ukraine and it was his deflected free-kick goal which sealed their ticket to the tournament Fellow Welshman Joe Ledley had performed perhaps the most unlikely of comebacks six years earlier Ledley suffered a fractured leg on May 7 which saw him miss Crystal Palace’s FA Cup final defeat against Manchester United a fortnight later But he was back to start Wales’ Euro 2016 opener on June 11 and played in all six of their games en route to the semi-finals It was so impressive that the medical team responsible have given industry presentations on his recovery If Saka can fire Arsenal past Madrid over the next two weeks without the luxury of being able to go up the gears gradually maybe he’ll be the next example up on the lecture board Saka, who underwent surgery for a hamstring injury in December has spent a lengthy spell on the sidelines for Arsenal but is fit to return against Fulham The 23-year-old sustained a tear to the muscle in his right leg during the first half Arsenal's 5-1 win at Crystal Palace Riccardo Calafiori will not be available to play against Fulham. Arteta confirmed he will be out for "a matter of weeks" after suffering an injury over the international break with Italy Saka's return comes as a boost for Arsenal as they bid to win their first Champions League title. They face reigning champions Real Madrid in the first leg of their quarterfinal clash on April 8 The north London side are second in the Premier League, 12 points adrift of leaders Liverpool ESPN's By The Numbers brings you the best of the mid-week stats from the UCL: Arsenal are through to their first UCL semifinals appearance since 2008-09 - that's after 16 years. Real Madrid are the fourth defending champion in the last 5 seasons to be eliminated in the UCL quarterfinals. Real Madrid's 4-season streak of reaching the UCL semifinals has ended. This was the longest streak in the competition since the club's 8-season streak from 2011-18. This was Real Madrid's first elimination when hosting second leg of a two-legged UCL KO Stage tie since the 2018-19 Round of 16 vs Ajax... which was also the last season Arsenal reached the semifinal. This was also Real Madrid's first elimination in the UCL quarterfinals since 2003-04 vs Monaco; Real Madrid had advanced in its last 12 UCL QF appearances. Real Madrid's 4-goal defeat on aggregate (5-1) is tied for the club's second largest margin of defeat in a UCL knockout stage series with 2023 semifinals to Manchester City. The worst came in the 2009 Round of 16 vs Liverpool (5-0). Bukayo Saka's career-high 5 goals are the most by an Arsenal player in a single UCL season since Olivier Giroud in 2015-16 (also 5). The only player with more goals in a single season for the club is Thierry Henry (7 goals, twice) Vinícius Júnior now has 105 career goals for Real Madrid, surpassing Ronaldo Názario for most by a Brazilian for Real Madrid in all competitions. Kylian Mbappé has now gone 5 straight games without a goal or an assist in all competitions, which is his longest streak without a goal contribution since April-May 2018. This was the second time ever that VAR overturned a penalty kick initially awarded to Real Madrid in UCL. The other was also this season, in September vs Stuttgart. Inter Milan advanced to its fourth UCL semifinal after 2003, 2010, and 2023. They have faced either AC Milan or Barcelona in all of its semifinals and will take on the La Liga team again. Bayern Munich have been eliminated in 4 of its last 5 UCL quarterfinal appearances. Thomas Müller played his 163rd Champions League match, tying Lionel Messi for third most all-time. In the history of UCL, only Cristiano Ronaldo (183) and Iker Casillas (177) have made more appearances. Harry Kane has scored 11 UCL goals this season, which is the third most this season behind Dortmund's Serhou Guirassy (13) and Barcelona's Raphinha (12). Harry Kane has scored 35 goals this season in all competitions, making this his fourth career 35-goal season and second in a row for Bayern Munich. Lautaro Martínez is on a 5-game scoring streak in the UEFA Champions League - the first player to achieve the feat for Inter Milan. He is also the second player this season to score in 5+ consecutive UCL matches (after Guirassy). Lautaro Martínez also brought up 150 career goals for Inter Milan in all competitions, 6th to reach the milestone for the club but more importantly, he is the first non-Italian to do so. Lautaro Martínez is the sixth Argentinian player to score 20+ career UCL goals. No prizes for guessing the top score - Lionel Messi with 129. The loss to Dortmund may not have impacted their semifinal tie but it snapped Barcelona's 24-match unbeaten streak in all competitions since the start of 2025. Barcelona reached their 13th UCL semifinal, but it is only their second in last 10 years after the 2018-19 season. In contrast to the 10 seasons before this (2005-06 to 2014-15), Barcelona reached 8 semifinals. Dortmund extended its lead for most goals in the UEFA Champions League this season. Dortmund's 7 penalty kick goals break a tie with Barcelona's 2020-21 team for most PK goals in a single UCL season all-time. Guinea international Serhou Guirassy has scored 13 UCL goals this season, moving ahead of Barcelona's Raphinha for the most goals so far. With his second goal, he also broke a tie with Sébastien Haller (11 in 2021-22) for the most in a UCL season by an African international. Guirassy is the also the second player this season to score a hat trick vs Barcelona and the fifth overall after Faustino Asprilla, Andriy Shevchenko, Kylian Mbappé, Vangelis Pavlidis. Only Nicolás Otamendi (6) and Pepe (5) have conceded more penalties in UCL history than Barcelona's Wojciech Szczesny at 4. This is the fifth own goal that Barcelona have benefitted from in all competitions this season. Barcelona's 5 own goals in their favor are the club's most in a single season across all competitions since 2020-21. Barcelona went back-to-back matches without recording a shot on target in the first half for the first time this season in all competitions. The last time had back-to-back games without shots on target in the first half was back in 2021 under Ronald Koeman. PSG have advanced to UCL semifinals in back-to-back seasons for only the second time in club history (after 2019-20 and 2020-21). This is PSG's 5th UCL semifinal appearance overall, which breaks a tie with Monaco for most by a French club in UCL history (since 1992-93). Achraf Hakimi scored his first UCL KO Stage goal and second overall this season. Hakimi had scored multiple goals in UCL season for the first time since 2019/20 (4 goals). Nuno Mendes has scored 4 UCL goals this season, the most by a defender in the competition this season. The above two stats mean that PSG defenders have combined for 6 goals in UCL this season (Nuno Mendes 4, Hakimi 2) - the most among all teams this season. Interestingly, 4 of those 6 goals have been in KO Stage matches (3 against Aston Villa). Information from ESPN's Global Sports Research contributed to this report. Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab , opens new tab Browse an unrivalled portfolio of real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts. , opens new tabScreen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks. © 2025 Reuters. All rights reserved Arsenal's Bukayo Saka has been told he is not as good as Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior ahead of their Champions League clash BetaAskNever miss a moment with Real MadridSign up for the latest news and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox every Monday Saka, 23, hadn't featured for Arsenal since injuring his hamstring at Crystal Palace just before Christmas, with the England star forced into surgery and a rehabilitation program But he came off the bench in the 66th minute to a raucous ovation from the Emirates crowd and then netted Arsenal's second goal of the night with a cushioned header at the back post after a neat flick on from Gabriel Martinelli "The reception speaks for itself," Saka's teammate Declan Rice said after the game "That's why he's one of the best wingers in the world because he attacks the box and sniffs the goal he's in the right position at the right time and topped off a great night for him and for us All of our front players are so different and rotate so well The second-place Gunners were all over Fulham in the opening half and finally took the lead in the 37th minute with a strike from Mikel Merino. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bukayo Saka (@bukayosaka87) Fulham cut into their deficit in second-half stoppage time, but Arsenal saw out the result to provisionally cut Liverpool's lead at the top of the table to nine points Liverpool can restore their 12-point lead when they host Everton on Wednesday in the Merseyside derby Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta talked up Saka's comeback in the prematch news conference and named him on the substitutes' bench for the visit of Fulham in the teams' 30th Premier League match of the campaign "A beautiful moment to see how much our people love respect and admire Bukayo," Arteta said after the win "It's not a surprise to any of us and the best result is the reaction -- he goes and says thank you to the sports science guys The loss sees Fulham stay in eighth place, but they can be passed by both Aston Villa and Bournemouth if either team should win its game on Wednesday. Bukayo Saka scores a "magnificent" goal as Arsenal beat Real Madrid 2-1 in the Bernabeu to reach the Champions League semi-finals MATCH REPORT: Real Madrid v Arsenal Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRead descriptionEditor's recommendationsSaka scores 'magnificent' goal as Arsenal beat Real Madrid Up Next Watch: Fan catches ball while daughter covers his eyes 00:00:19Watch: Fan catches ball while daughter covers his eyes 0:19'It's hard to watch' - Solskjaer discusses Man Utd woes 00:02:02'It's hard to watch' - Solskjaer discusses Man Utd woes 2:02Moyes & Pickford share favourite Goodison Park memories 00:01:06Moyes & Pickford share favourite Goodison Park memories 1:06Five things to know before Miami Grand Prix 00:01:51Five things to know before Miami Grand Prix 1:51Nobody expected this - Amorim on first-leg win in Bilbao 00:01:34Nobody expected this - Amorim on first-leg win in Bilbao 1:34Maresca praises 16-year-old Chelsea debutant Walsh 00:01:08Maresca praises 16-year-old Chelsea debutant Walsh 1:08Beckham at 50: His first taste of Man Utd 00:01:28Beckham at 50: His first taste of Man Utd 1:28'He's quite fussy!' - meet the craftsman who makes O'Sullivan's cues Video 00:02:09'He's quite fussy!' - meet the craftsman who makes O'Sullivan's cues 2:09Yamal is a genius 0:52Bompastor proud of WSL title winners Chelsea 00:01:10Bompastor proud of WSL title winners Chelsea 1:10Arsenal need 'something special' to reach final - Arteta Video 00:01:14Arsenal need 'something special' to reach final - Arteta we're rating the Arsenal players on a scale of 1 to 10 Raya could not do much about Ousmane Dembele's goal as it was a sublime finish that went in off the post. The goalkeeper went on to make smart saves to deny Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Désiré Doué These saves were crucial in making sure that the Gunners only conceded once and gave them a lifeline for the second leg Timber had the difficult task of being up against Kvaratskhelia, who got the better of the Arsenal defender on many occasions. Ben White came on for Timber in the 83rd minute Saliba had a challenging night up against Dembele he made a fantastic tackle to deny Achraf Hakimi from getting a shot on goal Arsenal missed Gabriel Magalhães Timber dived in on too many occasions and was often not on the same wavelength as Saliba PSG substitute Gonçalo Ramos was also afforded too much space by Kiwior Lewis-Skelly stepped up into midfield well to play some dangerous forward passes He set up a great chance for Gabriel Martinelli whilst not forgetting his defensive duties With Thomas Partey suspended, Rice played in a more defensive role and should have done a better job at picking up Dembele his deliveries from set pieces were effective Rice's driving runs forward also caused problems for PSG Merino played back in his favored midfield position but struggled as PSG dominated The Arsenal captain was surprisingly uninvolved and was replaced by Ethan Nwaneri late on Saka scored against PSG when Arsenal defeated the French team 2-0 in the league phase of the competition he could not make as much of an impact in this match Trossard was often isolated as Arsenal's makeshift center-forward he did force Gianluigi Donnarumma into making a fine save © 2025 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Minute Media or its affiliates and related brands All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER Raya could not do much about Ousmane Dembele's goal as it was a sublime finish that went in off the post. The goalkeeper went on to make smart saves to deny Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Désiré Doué Timber had the difficult task of being up against Kvaratskhelia, who got the better of the Arsenal defender on many occasions. Ben White came on for Timber in the 83rd minute Arsenal missed Gabriel Magalhães With Thomas Partey suspended, Rice played in a more defensive role and should have done a better job at picking up Dembele Saka scored against PSG when Arsenal defeated the French team 2-0 in the league phase of the competition Trossard was often isolated as Arsenal's makeshift center-forward Arsenal lost 1-0 to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League Here are the players who surprised — and the ones who disappointed Arteta said that even if Saka and Martinelli return for Arsenal's first match after the international break the pair would need to be closely monitored but again let's see how they evolve in the next few weeks to make the right steps," he told reporters Bukayo Saka has been out since December with a hamstring injury. Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images"After that so we're going to have to integrate them as well gradually They are evolving well but they're still a bit far "We have a meeting tomorrow to discuss where they are who probably has a chance before Bukayo to come in we'll have to see how it evolves in the next week or 10 days." Arsenal remain second after the draw at Forest but have fallen 13 points behind leaders Liverpool Arteta will now turn his attention to PSV Eindhoven for the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie on Tuesday and must quickly find a solution for their goal-scoring woes "We have another day or two now to think before the PSV game all the options that we have especially against a team that is in a low block," Arteta said FPL Price Changes: Key Players on the Move Let's delve into the details of these fluctuations and what they mean for FPL managers reflecting a slight downturn in his recent performances he remains a popular choice with 35% ownership Palmer's next fixtures present a mixed bag with Liverpool (H) and Manchester United (H) sandwiched between potentially easier games against Newcastle (A) and Nottingham Forest (H) his consistent starts and involvement in Chelsea's attack keep him on the FPL radar The Arsenal star has seen his price fall to £10.4m with just 3 points in his last three appearances his limited minutes (114 across these games) suggest he may have been managed carefully due to Arsenal's tight schedule followed by tougher tests against Liverpool (A) and Newcastle (H) Saka will be looking to rediscover his form His 22.2% ownership indicates that many managers are keeping faith in the England international The Palace midfielder has struggled for consistency scoring just 5 points in his last three matches with Nottingham Forest (H) and Wolves (H) offering potential for returns sandwiched between these is a tricky away trip to Tottenham including a 76-minute outing in a 5-0 defeat to Newcastle he remains a differential option for those willing to take a punt The Newcastle backup keeper has seen his price fall to £4.0m this change is unlikely to affect many FPL teams but could be of interest to those looking for a budget goalkeeper option As always, FPL managers should stay informed about the latest price predictions and trends. For up-to-the-minute information on potential price changes, be sure to check out Fantasy Football Fix's price change predictor Arsenal are ‘sweating’ on Champions League qualification and could face the ‘nightmare’ prospect of needing to beat Southampton to confirm their place ‘Marcus Rashford shows true Lamine Yamal colours as Man United watch on’ No-one knows what it means but it’s provocative And more importantly it gets ‘Rashford’ ‘Yamal’ and ‘Man United’ in the same conversation It turns out it actually means that Rashford ‘has given away what he thinks of Barcelona star Lamine Yamal’ Does he reckon he’s a poor man’s Harry Maguire Has he gone all Garth Crooks over his hairstyle choices It is of course that really mundane and meaningless fourth option: Rashford has liked two Instagram posts one from Yamal himself and another from Rio Ferdinand praising the teenager Crucially doing so while Manchester United ‘watch on’ while he ‘shows true colours’ over a player no-one had any reason to believe he didn’t like or at least admire before READ MORE: Arsenal ‘dream’ fights main character battle vs absurd Barcelona star Lamine Yamal ‘Mikel Arteta would be taking a huge gamble by resting players against Bournemouth,’ he writes of a ‘nightmare Champions League scenario’ concocted entirely in his own head ‘In fact, it would be [sic] far greater risk to give them a break rather than play them ahead of the Champions League semi final second leg with Paris Saint-Germain,’ he continues, despite a) no evidence of that actually being true and b) no suggestion Arsenal are planning on sending the kids out to get thrashed this weekend anyway There will naturally be a degree of rotation but it feels like professional football manager Arteta might realise the need for balance and rhythm and all that modern coaching chat But Cross seems genuinely affronted by the strawman he himself has built He says ‘you cannot turn performances on and off like a tap’ and Arsenal will be ‘stuffed’ by Bournemouth – one win in their last 11 games – if they roll out the reserves like multi-time Premier League champions Oleksandr Zinchenko or the really quite good Jorginho The best bit is the idea that Arsenal ‘will also be sweating on their Champions League place’. They are not mathematically guaranteed a top-five finish, granted, but there is a seven-point buffer to Nottingham Forest in sixth and the teams chasing them are dogged by inconsistency with some of them facing each other and thus points being unavoidably dropped too who could suddenly ‘easily lose their next three games’ – despite not losing three consecutive Premier League games since April 2022 – which would leave them exposed to the truly horrific possibility of ‘potentially needing to win at Southampton on the final day of the season to guarantee Champions League football’ that’s the sort of arrogant attitude which would see Southampton fired up to ensure they get points to ensure they don’t finish as the joint worst team in Premier League history.’ And that last thing Arsenal would want to face is a ‘fired up’ Southampton determined not to go down in the record books as historically sh*t If that doesn’t petrify Arteta into giving William Saliba Bukayo Saka and friends a full 90 minutes against Bournemouth ‘To drop points now would mean Manchester City could easily usurp them for second place ‘And we’ve spent all season saying that City have had a nightmare season If they finish below City then it will be a complex after finishing as runners-up to Pep Guardiola two years running.’ Imagine the sheer embarrassment of being usurped for second place At this point it might be worth advocating for Arteta to sack the second leg against PSG off to focus on the glory of finishing the closest distant runners-up to Liverpool They have had a few frustrating and careless draws of late but have also beaten Real Actual Madrid twice in the last month and only narrowly lost to possibly the best team in the world Arsenal are sixth in a Premier League form table despite that being a clear and justifiable second in their list of priorities for ages ‘Man Utd co-owner Ratcliffe ‘could sell shares in club’ with potential Saudi offers’ …which quotes a phrase not used anywhere else whatsoever in the story body And how frustrated the Daily Mirror website must have been when it ran out of space to fit ‘Nice’ into the headline entirely accidentally implying those Saudi-bound shares might indeed be in Manchester United Manchester United player Joshua Zirkzee celebrated Manchester United being quite good 70') in the UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg while Mikel Merino netted the third (75') Bukayo Saka also started the game but was replaced by Leandro Trossard in the 74th minute He received a hard tackle which resulted in the second free kick Rice scored from Rice was also replaced by Kieran Tierney in the 80th minute While Arsenal are 3-0 up against a team like Real Madrid, they need all their players for the second leg. Mikel Arteta has now provided a fitness update on two of his most important players, Saka and Rice. He told Amazon Prime Sports after the game: I think it was a kick on the free-kick action IMAGO / News ImagesSpeaking about Declan Rice, he said: I don’t know if it was a tackle or what was it Arsenal play Brentford at home next in the Premier League on April 12 While they already have a foot in the semi-finals 90 minutes or potentially more at the Santiago Bernabeu is very unpredictable they play Alaves in a La Liga away clash on April 13 The second leg between the two sides is set to take place on April 16 Opta Reveals Real Madrid's Chance Of Champions League Progress To The Semi-Final Kylian Mbappe Addresses Real Madrid Fans After Heavy Arsenal Defeat A Lack Of Trophies Could End Ancelotti's Time At Real Madrid This Season (Report) Transcript: Carlo Ancelotti’s Post-Match Press Conference Following Arsenal vs Real Madrid Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER.