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Arsenal are dealing with several fitness concerns of their own but can draw some comfort from a significant setback for their Champions League semifinal opponents, Atlético Madrid.
Key midfielder Pablo Barrios has been ruled out of Wednesday's first leg and may not feature again this season. Diego Simeone's tireless engine room had only just come back from nearly three months out with a muscle problem before picking up another strain in his thigh.
The positive news for Atlético is the anticipated return of star forward Julián Alvarez. The prolific striker missed the club's last two matches after netting in the ultimately disappointing Copa del Rey final but has been cleared to play for Arsenal's visit, according to AS.
The Gunners, who have been linked with a potential move for Alvarez in the upcoming summer transfer window, have a number of their own fitness worries to contend with.
Arsenal Injury Doubts vs. Atlético Madrid
Eberechi Eze
Eberechi Eze
Arsenal's tight 1–0 victory over Newcastle United on Saturday left a mixed feeling among the typically restless Emirates faithful. Eberechi Eze's curling opener was quickly overshadowed when the goalscorer was seen limping off the field at the beginning of the second half.
Eze attempted to ease concerns over any serious damage, claiming he was "O.K." and had simply been substituted as a precaution. However, his past injury assessments have proven unreliable—most notably in the lead-up to the Carabao Cup final, which he ultimately missed.
Kai Havertz
Kai Havertz
Further alarm bells rang over Havertz's condition after the tall German headed straight to the dressing room in the middle of the first half.
Arteta dismissed suggestions that it was anything major—"They are muscular niggles, we don't think it's too much"—but also declined to give a definitive answer on Havertz's availability for the midweek fixture. "We have to wait and see."
Martín Zubimendi
Martín Zubimendi
A potential unexpected absentee in midweek could be the reliable Martín Zubimendi. Arsenal's workhorse has appeared in 44 of the club's 46 Premier League and Champions League games this season, sitting out one European match through suspension while watching the dead-rubber clash against Kairat at the close of the league phase from the bench.
Zubimendi once again started against Newcastle on Saturday but was forced off for the final nine minutes due to illness. "Zubi was sick, and at half-time, he wasn't feeling good," Arteta later explained. "He tried his very best. He played a really good game, and in the end, we had to take him off." The expectation is that Zubimendi will recover in time for the trip back to Spain.
Riccardo Calafiori
Riccardo Calafiori
Riccardo Calafiori was the latest victim of a classic Dr. Arteta moment. The Premier League's least reliable source of injury updates predicted last week that both Calafiori and Bukayo Saka would "probably" feature in the squad for Newcastle's visit. While Saka made his long-awaited comeback, Calafiori was notably nowhere to be seen.
"He was very close," Arteta later admitted, "but we have certain players that are coming back from injuries and can play certain moments as well, and we need to be balanced in what we need." It remains unclear exactly when the marauding Italian will make his actual comeback.
Jurriën Timber
Jurriën Timber
Among the most overlooked absences during this difficult run for Arsenal, it is no coincidence that the Gunners have struggled without their first-choice right back over the past six weeks.
Jurriën Timber may draw criticism for an awkward playing style but proves remarkably effective across all three phases of the game. Arsenal have lost just three of the 43 matches in which Timber has played this season (7%) compared to four defeats from 12 games without him (33%).
Arsenal Injury Absentees vs. Atlético Madrid
Mikel Merino
Mikel Merino
Watching Havertz hobble off against Newcastle turned some attention toward the sidelined Mikel Merino. Arsenal's recurring problem of late has been facing sides that press them with intensity. The option of bypassing these pressing opponents with a direct ball to the striker becomes less viable when the physical presence of Viktor Gyökeres is the one charging around the final third. In Havertz's absence, Mikel Merino could potentially be an even more effective option.
However, the versatile Spaniard is in a race against time simply to be fit for the World Cup. Arteta had been hopeful of Merino returning ahead of schedule, though that will depend on what is still at stake at that late stage of the campaign.
"He's another one that is going to push every boundary," Arteta said earlier this month. "He's out of his boot now. He's doing quite a lot of exercises already. He's reacted really well to the surgery. He's got no pain ... I'm sure there is a chance to make that period shorter."