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SOCCER-CHAMPIONS-CLU-ARS/:Soccer-Jesus on brink of return for Arsenal, says Arteta
BRUGES, Belgium, – Gabriel Jesus could make a long-awaited return for Arsenal in the Champions League on Wednesday, but Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard join a lengthy list of players sidelined for the Premier League leaders, manager Mikel Arteta said on Tuesday.
The Brazilian striker has been out since January after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury in his left knee in an FA Cup tie against Manchester United, but returned to training last month and was an unused substitute against Chelsea and Brentford in the last few weeks.
Arteta said they had only expected the 28-year-old to resume training this month, but “Gabi has been pushing every single day and he kept telling everybody ‘I am going to be earlier, earlier, earlier’ and he has done it.”
Jesus has been belatedly registered for the Champions League in place of Max Dowman, who at 15 became the youngest player to appear in a Champions League match after coming on as a substitute in Arsenal’s 3-0 victory over Slavia Prague last month. Yet the teenager sustained an ankle injury while playing for the under-21s on Saturday.
“So thanks to work and all the work that the medical staff have done in all these months, we had the possibility to make a swap there and we have done it. Yes, on one side, you see Max and the situation and on the other, you see the joy and how happy Gabi is to be back in the Champions League,” Arteta told a press conference.
Rice is ill, added the manager. “He was quite sick after the game , and he hasn’t travelled with us.”
Also out is Trossard, injured near the end of the game at Villa Park after coming on as a halftime substitute.
“Leo again picked up another knock in an area where he had the issue, and I don’t expect that it’s going to be long, but unfortunately, he cannot be here.”
Arteta said it was good for his side to be back in action just days after the setback at Villa, where they lost 2-1.
“Absolutely, especially when you play a competition like the Champions League and how much we want to continue to do the job that we have started in the first five games,” he added as Arsenal look to keep up their 100% record in the competition.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
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