Mikel Arteta Provides Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice Injury Updates After Arsenal vs Real Madrid Game

Arsenal managed a 3-0 win against Real Madrid at The Emirates on April 8. Declan Rice scored twice (58', 70') in the UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg while Mikel Merino netted the third (75').

Bukayo Saka also started the game but was replaced by Leandro Trossard in the 74th minute. He received a hard tackle which resulted in the second free kick Rice scored from. Rice was also replaced by Kieran Tierney in the 80th minute.

While Arsenal are 3-0 up against a team like Real Madrid, they need all their players for the second leg. Mikel Arteta has now provided a fitness update on two of his most important players, Saka and Rice. He told Amazon Prime Sports after the game:

He is fine, I think it was a kick on the free-kick action. Bukayo after he got tackled on the foul, I think he had a knock and he had to go. It doesn’t look serious, no.
Mikel Arteta

Bukayo Saka in action against Real Madrid — IMAGO / News Images

Speaking about Declan Rice, he said:

I think Dec had an issue with the foot, I don’t know if it was a tackle or what was it.
Mikel Arteta

Arsenal play Brentford at home next in the Premier League on April 12. While they already have a foot in the semi-finals, 90 minutes or potentially more at the Santiago Bernabeu is very unpredictable, meaning the job is far from done.

As for Real Madrid, they play Alaves in a La Liga away clash on April 13. The second leg between the two sides is set to take place on April 16.

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Transcript: Carlo Ancelotti’s Post-Match Press Conference Following Arsenal vs Real Madrid