Mikel Arteta delivers injury blow as Arsenal star doubtful ahead of PSG clash

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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has admitted that Jurrien Timber is unlikely to feature in the club’s crucial Champions League semi-final second leg against Paris Saint-Germain next week.

The Dutch defender was forced off late in the first leg at the Emirates on Tuesday, a match that saw Ousmane Dembele’s strike hand PSG a 1-0 advantage going into the return fixture in Paris. Timber was subsequently left out of the squad for Arsenal’s 2-1 Premier League defeat against Bournemouth on Saturday night, despite having taken an early lead in the game.

Speaking ahead of the Bournemouth clash, Arteta confirmed Timber had suffered a knock. Asked post-match whether the 22-year-old would be fit in time for the trip to France, the Arsenal boss struck a pessimistic tone.

“Confident? No,” Arteta told reporters. “At the moment, no, because he wasn’t able to play here and we play again in four days.”

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Arsenal’s injury concerns continue to mount ahead of their season-defining fixture. Key players including Kai Havertz, Gabriel Magalhães, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Gabriel Jesus, Jorginho, and Riccardo Calafiori all remain sidelined. There was also a fresh concern on Saturday when captain Martin Ødegaard appeared to kick the ground awkwardly while attempting a shot late in the game.

“I haven’t had a chance yet to speak to the doctor giving me an update on that, so I don’t know,” Arteta said when asked about Ødegaard’s condition.

Despite the growing injury list, Arteta started several of his key players against Bournemouth. Declan Rice featured for 74 minutes, while Ødegaard and William Saliba played the full 90. Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli were substituted with just four minutes remaining.

Arsenal’s loss at home cost them the opportunity to build momentum ahead of their trip to the Parc des Princes, but Arteta is urging his players to turn their frustration into fuel for redemption in Paris.

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“We certainly wanted to create a really good vibe. A positive result would really help us to build what we wanted towards Wednesday,” he said.

“Every time you don’t win a game, especially when you lose, you are very frustrated. What we have created now is a lot of rage, anger, frustration, and a bad feeling in the tummy.

“So, make sure that we use that for Wednesday to have a massive performance in Paris, win the game, and be in the final. Let’s use all of that ahead of Wednesday. That is what we have to do.”

Arsenal will need to overturn a one-goal deficit in the French capital to reach the Champions League final for the first time since 2006.

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