Arsenal's midfield maestro Declan Rice is facing a race against time to be fit for the team's Champions League quarter-final match against Sporting CP, after missing training on Tuesday. According to manager Mikel Arteta, Rice will do everything in his power to be ready for the crucial tie, but any injury to the player would be a significant blow to the team's chances. With Arsenal currently leading 1-0 on aggregate, they are also gearing up for a pivotal Premier League clash with Manchester City on Sunday. Arteta expressed caution, stating that the team will have to wait until the morning to assess the fitness of several key players, including Rice, before making any decisions.
Rice appeared to be limping during the second half of the match against Bournemouth, and Arteta acknowledged that the player's heavy workload this season may be a contributing factor to his current condition. The Gunners are already missing several key players, including Jurrien Timber, Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, and Riccardo Calafiori, and Arteta hopes that Saka will be back in action soon, predicting that his return will be a matter of days rather than weeks. The team's injury woes have raised concerns about their ability to cope without Rice, who is a vital component of Arteta's system.
With no clear backup option available, the team may be forced to rely on alternative players, such as Christian Norgaard, Kai Havertz, or Leandro Trossard, to fill the void left by Rice's potential absence.