Arteta’s Balancing Act Ahead of Crucial European TestIn football, timing is everything. When to press. When to drop deep. When to gamble. And, increasingly for Mikel Arteta

Arsenal have mixed news on the injury front as they prepare for tonight’s crunch Champions League quarter-final second-leg clash with Real Madrid. Mikel Arteta’s have one foot in the semi-finals after a scarcely believable display at the Emirates saw them win 3-0 in the first leg last week.

Injury has become a recurring subplot in this story. What was once a tale of progress and potential now reads more like a war report. As Madrid bring back the firepower of Kylian Mbappé and the leadership of Antonio Rüdiger, both cleared to play despite recent disciplinary scrutiny, Arsenal prepare with tape, bandages, and late fitness tests.