Mikel Arteta has provided worrying injury updates on Thomas Partey and Jorginho before Wednesday’s Champions League clash with Real Madrid.
Both Arsenal midfielders were hurt in the 1-1 draw against Brentford on Saturday, just days before the second leg of their European quarter-final.
The Gunners face the Spanish champions at the Bernabeu, looking to protect their 3-0 lead from the first leg and reach this season’s semi-finals.
Arteta has already confirmed that right-back Ben White is an injury doubt for the match in Spain and says Partey and Jorginho may now miss it too.
Speaking after the draw against Brentford at the Emirates, Arteta told a post-match press conference: ‘We didn’t expect the issue with Thomas that we had to take him out.
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‘And then for sure we didn’t expect what happened with Jorginho that we ended up playing with 10 men.’
‘[Partey] felt something so we didn’t want to take any risks.’
Quizzed more specifically about Partey’s injury and what exactly the problem was, Arteta said: ‘Something.
‘We don’t know [if he will be fit for the Real Madrid game]. I haven’t spoken to the doctors yet. So they will check him now and see how he is.’
Asked if Jorginho had suffered an injury to his ribs, Arteta added: ‘It looks like it, I don’t exactly know. But yeah, the problem is breathing, so I’d say he could not carry on.’
Speaking to the BBC about Jorginho’s injury, Arteta said: ‘He said he could not breathe properly so it might be to do with one of the ribs.
‘It is strange because [he] normally carries on so that means it is something significant I think.’
Arteta was also asked about White in his post-match press conference, once again confirming that he’s a doubt for the Real Madrid showdown.
‘Again, we don’t know [if he will will be okay for Wednesday]. He could not be in condition to be in the squad today and be selected.
‘So we have a few days but we’ll have to wait and see.’
Meanwhile, Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has revealed an injury boost for the second leg with Arsenal after Dani Ceballos returned to full fitness.
Ceballos has been one of Ancelotti’s most reliable performers this season but has missed the last chunk of games after sustaining an injury following a win against Real Sociedad on February 26.
The Spain international, who spent two years on loan at Arsenal at the start of Arteta’s tenure, missed the first leg against his former club last week but is set to feature at the Bernabeu on Wednesday.
