Arsenal’s preparations for their UEFA Champions League opener have received a significant boost with the return of key defender William Saliba to full training. The team travelled to Bilbao on Monday ahead of Tuesday’s match against Athletic Club at San Mames Stadium.
The Gunners are riding high after a 3-0 Premier League victory over Nottingham Forest and will look to extend their five-match unbeaten run in the new European format. Saliba’s return, along with that of Christian Norgaard, provides a welcome lift to the squad’s defensive options.
However, manager Mikel Arteta still faces significant selection headaches. Captain Martin Odegaard, forward Gabriel Jesus, and midfielder Kai Havertz remain sidelined due to injury. The status of star winger Bukayo Saka is also uncertain for the clash.
The absence of right-back Ben White is particularly notable. A post on X from Rory Talks Football highlighted the defender’s recent struggles, stating, “Ben White played for months and months through injury with injections because we had no other RB available.”
For the hosts, Athletic Club will be without the services of winger Nico Williams. Meanwhile, Arsenal’s Viktor Gyokeres and Martin Zubimendi have been mentioned as showing promise in the team’s pre-match preparations.
The match promises to be a challenging start to Arsenal’s Champions League campaign as they navigate an ongoing injury crisis.
