Arsenal will be up against Sporting CP in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals, and they will be without Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber. 

Manager Mikel Arteta has confirmed that both players will miss the first leg of the quarter-finals against the Portuguese outfit, but they could return at the weekend.

 Arteta said on Saka and Timber (h/t Fabrizio Romano): “They’re not ready yet. Let’s see. Hopefully, they’re going to be ready for the weekend if everything goes well”.

Arsenal are coming into this game on the back of a disappointing FA Cup exit against Southampton, and they will be desperate to bounce back strongly. They will look to secure a positive result in the first leg, and the absence of Saka and Timber could be a blow for them. Both players have been very important for Arsenal.

That said, Arsenal have a formidable squad and should be able to deal with the absence of the two players. Furthermore, the class gap between the two teams is significant, and Arsenal should be able to grind out a result against Sporting CP, even without two key players.