Arsenal fans, take a deep breath. William Saliba is back. After a long and patient wait, the French defender is training with the squad again, just as the Gunners head to Prague for a big Champions League night.
Three and a Half Months in the Wilderness
Saliba returned to full training 3½ months after his last game, in the World Cup semifinals for France. That was a 2-0 loss to Spain, and he was substituted in the first half. The culprit was a back injury that did not require surgery but needed an extended recovery.
The signs are good. Arteta said his recovery has gone as expected, “which is not always the case”, and that Saliba played 45 minutes behind closed doors last week. The manager says he is “in a really good place”.
A Selection Problem Every Manager Wants
Here is the twist. Arsenal did not collapse without him. Summer signing Ezri Konsa has put in a slew of strong performances in his place, so Arteta may not rush to break up that combination. Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes were a key partnership behind last season’s Premier League title.
Asked if having all his centre-backs available was a problem, Arteta laughed and said they had not had that luxury so far. That is the kind of headache every fan would sign up for.
Arsenal vs Slavia Prague: What You Need to Know
Tonight, the focus turns to the Fortuna Arena. Slavia Prague vs Arsenal kicks off at 8pm GMT, which is 9pm in Nigeria.
The form guide favours the visitors:
- Arsenal: They have seven points from three European matches. They arrive after a 1-0 win at Liverpool on Sunday, following a shock EFL Cup exit at League Two Fleetwood. They are unbeaten in their last nine away Champions League matches.
- Slavia Prague: They are still chasing a first win in this season’s competition, though they did fight back from 2-0 down to draw with Fenerbahce. Arsenal beat them 3-0 in last season’s league phase.
Team News
Bukayo Saka remains sidelined with a serious quad injury. On Saliba, reports differ. Yahoo’s team news says he returned to training but remains unavailable, while other reports say he travelled with the squad and Arteta should resist throwing him straight in. The smart money says patience
The predicted XI has Raya in goal, with White, Konsa, Gabriel and Hincapie across the back, and Gyokeres leading the line. Sixteen-year-old Max Dowman is also available in Europe despite his domestic ban.
The Bottom Line
Arsenal are top of the Premier League, on a European roll, and about to get a world-class defender back. It is a good week to be a Gunner. Even so, football punishes anyone who gets comfortable, so expect Arteta to stay calm and keep the focus on tonight.
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