Soccer
Arsenal without two key defenders for Champions League clash
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Arsenal will be without key defenders William Saliba and Jurrien Timber for Wednesday's Champions League match against Kairat Almaty.
The defensive duo was ruled out for the Gunners' final league phase match after both missed the team's training session on Tuesday.
“No, those (players) are not (available),” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said, “it’s a good opportunity now that we make a different kind of work with them to get them in the best possible condition for the weekend hopefully.”
Arteta did not specify the issues affecting Saliba and Timber, both of whom have missed time this season due to injury. Additionally, the Gunners will not have Mikel Merino and Declan Rice available for selection in Wednesday match as both players will be serving suspensions for yellow card accumulation.
However, Arteta is not concerned about the rest of his squad's ability to step in for their unavailable teammates, as the Gunners have shown that depth is a strength of theirs this season.
“It’s been like this for the first seven months of the competition," Arteta said. "Whether it was with this competition, domestic league and Champions League, or with international players playing for their countries as well.
“There is nothing new. The good news is that we have some players back as well now that are going to be helping us.
“We are used to it, so that’s never going to be an excuse.”
Arsenal are at the top of the league phase standings with only Wednesday's match left to play. The Premier League-leading side has already booked passage into the knockout stages.
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