Mikel Arteta provides injury update on 2 Arsenal stars ahead of UCL clash against Porto
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has provided an injury update on Takehiro Tomiyasu and Gabriel Martinelli.
The Gunners face FC Porto in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 second leg at the Emirates on Tuesday, March 12. They head into the contest trailing 0-1 on aggregate.
Arteta said that Tomiyasu has trained with the team and is expected to be involved against the Portugues side. As for Martinelli, he said that the Brazilian hasn't trained with the team. The Spanish manager said to the media ahead of the crucial Porto showdown (via the Gunners' website):
"He did the first part, Gabi didn’t, but that’s what we’re hoping for [Tomi to be involved]."
Tomiyasu suffered a calf injury in February and has been out for the last six matches. His potential return should be a massive boost for Arsenal's remainder of the campaign.
Martinelli, meanwhile, has also been out with an injury. The winger was even spotted on crutches following the Gunners' 2-1 home win against Brentford in the Premier League on March 9. Martinelli has been a key player for Arteta's side this season, scoring eight goals and providing five assists in 32 matches across competitions.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta urges his team to make things happen against Porto
The onus is on Arsenal to defeat FC Porto as they take on the Liga Portugal side in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16. They head into the contest as the team needing a win by two goals.
Arteta has now claimed that his side can't wait for things to happen and urged his players to be proactive. The Spaniard told the media (via the Gunners' website):
“We have to prepare in the best possible way, make a lot of right decisions and then be brave and have the courage to make things happen. You can’t wait in these situations, you have to go and make things happen and that’s the approach tomorrow.”
Arteta's side are the current Premier League leaders and have won all of their last eight league games. That said, they have to turn around the fortune in their favor against Porto to stay in the Champions League.