Mikel Arteta has received a significant boost ahead of Arsenal`s Champions League showdown with Paris Saint-Germain. Midfielder Mikel Merino was fit enough to fully participate in training on Monday, offering clarity on the likely starting lineup for Tuesday night`s semifinal first leg.
Merino had missed the recent 2-2 draw against Crystal Palace for unspecified reasons, but both he and Ben White, another absentee from last week, were full participants in the open training session. Consequently, the 28-year-old Merino is considered highly probable to start as Arteta looks to build a midfield capable of competing physically and technically with their French opponents.
However, Arsenal`s ongoing struggles with injuries and suspensions show no sign of fully abating. Thomas Partey is suspended for the first leg following a late foul against Antonio Rudiger. His usual defensive midfield role will likely be filled by Declan Rice. Jorginho is also expected to miss a significant portion of the remainder of the season due to a rib injury.
With these midfield concerns, Leandro Trossard leading the attacking line appears to be the only significant change from the side that secured victories both home and away against Real Madrid in the previous round. Arsenal continues to be without several key players, including Gabriel Magalhaes and Kai Havertz (both hamstring injuries), as well as Gabriel Jesus and Takehiro Tomiyasu (both knee issues). There remains some hope that Riccardo Calafiori could recover from his knee problem in time for the second leg next Wednesday in Paris.
For Paris Saint-Germain, the team news is far simpler. Coach Luis Enrique has the luxury of a fully fit squad from which to choose. The primary decision he faces appears to be in the attacking third, where Desire Doue was preferred over Bradley Barcola to partner Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Ousmane Dembele in the predicted starting front three.
Regardless of who makes up the forward line, the rest of the PSG team is expected to be largely settled due to the lack of injuries. Since the conclusion of the Champions League group stage, only 13 different players have started matches for PSG in the competition. This number would be even lower had Lucas Beraldo not needed to step in for the suspended Marquinhos during their 3-1 victory against Aston Villa.
Predicted Champions League Semifinal Starting Lineups
Arsenal:
- Goalkeeper: David Raya
- Defenders: Jurien Timber, Wlliam Saliba, Jakub Kiwior, Myles Lewis-Skelly
- Midfielders: Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice, Mikel Merino
- Forwards: Bakayo Saka, Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Martinelli
PSG:
- Goalkeeper: Gianluigi Donnarumma
- Defenders: Achraf Hakimi, Marquinhos, Willian Pacho, Nuno Mendes
- Midfielders: Joao Neves, Vitinha, Fabian Ruiz
- Forwards: Desire Doue, Ousmane Dembele, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
Dominic Ashworth