Arsenal will go into their decisive Champions League second-leg clash with European champions Real Madrid without experienced midfielder Jorginho.
Jorginho, who was part of the Chelsea team that beat Manchester City to clinch the Champions League title in 2021, has been confirmed to be out of the match due to a chest injury.
The Italian midfielder was diagnosed with the injury following Arsenal’s 1-1 draw against Brentford in the Premier League, and it is reported that he could miss several weeks of action.
Jorginho’s absence will be a significant blow to Arteta’s team, as he has been a vital component of Arsenal’s midfield in terms of cover and experience at the heart of the Arsenal midfield.
The Gunners boss will now have to look elsewhere for options to fill the void left by Jorginho’s injury. Thomas Partey, who was taken off with a knock during the Brentford match, is still being assessed by medical staff, and it remains to be seen whether he will be fit enough to start against Real Madrid.
If both Partey and Jorginho are ruled out, Arteta will be left with limited options in the number six role. Declan Rice may have to drop deeper into the midfield to cover for the absence of Partey and Jorginho, which could allow Mikel Merino to occupy the left eight role. However, Arteta may be hesitant to move Merino from his current position as a number nine, where he has been surprisingly effective of late.
Another option for Arteta could be Oleksandr Zinchenko, who started in midfield against Brentford and has experience playing in the center of the park for Ukraine. While Arteta has previously been hesitant to field Zinchenko in this role, he may be forced to consider it if Partey and Jorginho are both unavailable.
The absence of Jorginho and potential absence of Partey will undoubtedly pose a challenge for Arteta ahead of the Real Madrid match. However, the Arsenal boss has shown his ability to adapt and make tactical decisions in high-pressure situations, and it will be interesting to see how he responds to this midfield dilemma.
Arsenal’s match against Real Madrid is a crucial one, with the Gunners holding a 3-0 lead from the first leg. A positive result at the Santiago Bernabeu would see them progress to the Champions League semi-final for the first time in 16 years and could face either Paris Saint-Germain or Aston Villa.
