Real Madrid vs Arsenal: Confirmed team news, predicted lineup and injuries

Ben Fleming

Published April 16, 2025 7:00am Updated April 16, 2025 6:33pm

Mikel Arteta has a number of selection headaches (Picture: Metro/Getty)

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.

Nevertheless, the Gunners will have to be prepared for a testing second leg as the defending champions seek to summon upon all their European experience to overturn the deficit.

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While opting to rotate his side for Saturday’s 1-1 Premier League draw with Brentford, Arteta emerged with two further injury doubts ahead of Wednesday’s trip to the Spanish capital.

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Despite playing the full 90 minutes, Jorginho sustained a chest injury which saw him miss out on Tuesday’s training session.

And there was also a problem for the goalscorer on the day, Thomas Partey, who was brought off in the 69th minute with an unspecified injury.

The Ghanaian, however, was seen in training on Tuesday, as was Ben White who missed Saturday’s clash with Brentford due to a slight niggle.

Arsenal FC Training Session And Press Conference - UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Quarter Final Second Leg — Thomas Partey was seen in training on Tuesday (Picture: Getty)

‘The positive one is that Ben White managed to train with us and he will be in the squad,’ Arteta confirmed to reporters at his pre-match press conference in Madrid.

Asked for an update on Partey and Jorginho, Arteta replied: ‘Yeah, he [Partey] is available.

‘He had a little niggle during the game and that’s why he had to come off, but he felt good after the last few days so he’s fine.’

Arsenal 4-3-3 v2 lineup — How Arsenal could line up (Picture: Getty)

‘Jorginho, unfortunately he’s not here after the incident of the weekend. He hasn’t recovered so our thoughts are with him.’

A host of key players, including Bukayo Saka, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Martin Odegaard, were rested on the weekend but are expected to return to the starting lineup tonight.

Elsewhere, Riccardo Calafiori has not returned to training, while Gabriel, Kai Havertz, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Gabriel Jesus remain sidelined with longer-term injuries.

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Real, meanwhile, will be without the suspended Eduardo Camavinga, withAurelien Tchouameni expected to replace him having served a suspension of his own during the first leg at the Emirates.

Needing goals, Carlo Ancelotti may seek to deploy a more attacking lineup, with reports suggesting that Lucas Vasquez will play at right-back to allow Federico Valverde more freedom in central midfield.

Kylian Mbappe will spearhead his side’s efforts and is available for selection despite his red card on the weekend during Real’s 1-0 win over Alaves in La Liga.