Arsenal have a couple more availability concerns, ahead of their trip to Girona. Team Captain Martin Odegaard is a doubt as he’s dealing with a virus. Sticking in the midfield, summer signing Mikel Merino is also a doubt, as he’s battling a knock of some sort. Both are thought to be minor issues, but it is possible that manager Mikel Arteta might not risk them here, given the UCL standings situation.
UEFA Champions League Matchday 8 of 8
Arsenal FC at Girona
Kickoff: Wed. Jan. 29, 8pm, Montilivi, Girona, Catalonia, Spain
Arsenal Preview Material: Team News Starting XI Prediction
UCL Standings, Form: Arsenal 3rd, 16 pts, WLWWW Girona 31st, 3 pts, WLLLL
Gunners Team News
With a goal differential of +12, the Gunners are all but assured of going through to the next round, without the need for a playoff. This is true even if they lose on Wednesday night, but pretty much no one expects that to happen.
Beyond Odegaard and Merino, Myles Lewis-Skelly is currently suspended for Premier League play, but eligible for continental competition, so there is no reason to think he won’t be selected for this one. It just makes too much sense, in the interests of squad rotation.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter.