manager Mikel Arteta received a double fitness boost in Wednesday’s training session before their Champions League opener with Atalanta BC, but a handful of players remain on the sidelines.
The Gunners make the trip to Bergamo on the back of a gritty 1-0 North London derby win against Tottenham Hotspur, moving onto 10 points from four games of the new Premier League season.
Arsenal’s Champions League opener comes just three days before a daunting trip to Manchester City, in what is already a top-of-the-table showdown as the 12-point Citizens lead the way at the summit.
Arteta’s men overcame their bitter North London rivals despite being without seven players through a combination of injury or suspension, while Bukayo Saka also picked up a knock towards the end of the derby.
Arteta was in the dark about the seriousness of the 23-year-old’s problem at full time, although it was subsequently reported that Arsenal staff did not think he was suffering from anything more severe than cramp.
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Riccardo Calafiori, Bukayo Saka train before Atalanta clash
As expected, Saka was among the Arsenal players to take part in Wednesday morning’s training session, meaning that he will be available to face Atalanta and Man City barring any more setbacks.
According to sportsmole Also on the grass was Riccardo Calafiori, who picked up a calf injury while playing for Italy during the international break and had to withdraw from the Azzurri squad as a precautionary measure.
The summer signing from Bologna missed the North London derby as a result but could now come straight into contention for Thursday’s game, where he will be bidding to make his first competitive start for the club.
Calafiori could be one of two players to return to Arteta’s ranks for the trip to Italy, as midfield fulcrum Declan Rice has served his one-match suspension and is certain to be on the flight to Bergamo.
However, there was still no Martin Odegaard in training on Wednesday morning, as the Norway international recovers from the ankle sprain he sustained while playing for his country in the UEFA Nations League.
Martin Odegaard among five players missing from Arsenal training
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Arsenal have not confirmed the length of their captain’s layoff, having sent him for multiple scans before also referring him to a specialist, but he is not expected to be back in action for a couple of weeks minimum.
Odegaard was one of five Arsenal players still missing from the open session, as Mikel Merino (shoulder), Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee) and Kieran Tierney (hamstring) are all long-term absentees.
Meanwhile, Oleksandr Zinchenko also failed to join the group for practice on Wednesday morning after his unforeseen absence from the North London derby with a calf injury, the severity of which has not been disclosed.
Zinchenko’s likely absence will benefit Calafiori’s chances of a full debut at left-back, although he could also feature centrally if Arteta rests William Saliba or the weekend’s match-winner Gabriel Magalhaes.
Jurrien Timber and Jakub Kiwior represent alternative versatile options in the Arsenal backline, though, while Raheem Sterling could make his full debut in the final third after coming off the bench at the weekend.
