Key Takeaways:
- Arsenal suffered back-to-back defeats against Manchester City and Southampton prior to the Champions League quarter-final first leg against Sporting
- Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze and Jurrien Timber did not travel due to injury, but Gabriel Magalhaes, Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard were involved in training and are available
- Sporting remain unbeaten at home in European competition this season as they prepare to take on Arsenal in Lisbon
Arsenal Aim to Harness Disappointment as Motivation
Mikel Arteta has urged Arsenal to channel the pain from their recent cup eliminations into renewed determination as the Gunners turn their attention to Champions League action this week. The north London side landed in Lisbon having experienced their first sequence of consecutive defeats this campaign – falling 2-0 to Manchester City in the League Cup final and 2-1 to Championship outfit Southampton in the FA Cup quarter-finals.
The Arsenal manager reflected on his team’s journey to date and emphasised the importance of allowing adversity to drive improvement. Arteta stated, “We have to have some perspective on how difficult what we have done up until now has been,” adding, “Feel the pain, use it to improve. We are very clear what happened and why it happened. This is football.”
🚨⛔️ Bukayo Saka is OUT of Sporting vs Arsenal, Mikel Arteta has confirmed. ❌ pic.twitter.com/MI0pOL8I4P
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) April 6, 2026
With Arsenal’s season now limited to two competitions, Arteta highlighted the need for considered reflection rather than panic as his squad prepare for a pivotal European test. “I think what you have to be is clear, understand why it happened,” he said. “And when you understand that, be better, and that is what we have to do.”
Squad Updates: Injuries and Returns
Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze and Jurrien Timber will be absent for the first leg in Portugal after missing out through injury. However, Arteta expressed optimism regarding their availability for the coming weekend. In more encouraging news, Gabriel Magalhaes, Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard all trained ahead of the clash, boosting Arsenal’s options in Lisbon.
| Player | Status for 1st Leg | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bukayo Saka | Unavailable | Did not travel due to injury |
| Eberechi Eze | Unavailable | Did not travel due to injury |
| Jurrien Timber | Unavailable | Did not travel due to injury |
| Gabriel Magalhaes | Available | Participated in training |
| Declan Rice | Available | Participated in training |
| Leandro Trossard | Available | Participated in training |
Sporting Unbeaten at Home in Europe
Arsenal are preparing to face a Sporting side who have yet to lose at home in European competition this season. The reigning Portuguese champions will hope to build on their solid home record as they welcome the Gunners for the opening leg of this quarter-final tie.
Midfielder Maxi Araujo dismissed any notions of Arsenal being favourites, telling reporters: “There are no favourites in this play-off. They are playing well, we are too.”
Sporting manager Rui Borges was similarly unfazed by Arsenal’s recent losses. “No, I don’t believe in that and great teams always want to win,” Borges stated. “They will be more focused, willing to show their collective individual capacity and so I think it will make it more difficult for us.”
Looking Ahead: Second Leg and Premier League Commitments
The return fixture is scheduled for 15th April at the Emirates Stadium. In-between the two European legs, Arsenal will resume their Premier League title campaign by hosting Bournemouth on Saturday.
