Mikel Arteta faced the press ahead of this week’s Premier League match with Ipswich Town. The team remain on a high following their massive win over Real Madrid, knocking out the holders from the Champions League.
They managed the feat without many key players, such as Riccardo Calafiori, who has been out with a knee injury since the last international break. Many others like Gabriel Magalhaes, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus are missing with longer term issues.
Asked for an update on Calafiori and Jorginho, Arteta said: “Jorgi is not going to be available yet. Ricci as well is not going to be ready.”
He was later pressed on whether Calafiori could be back for the semi-finals against PSG: “If everything goes well, I think so, maybe a bit earlier. He’s on the pitch already.”
This will be a big boost, especially with Thomas Partey missing for the first leg so that adds another option for Arteta. There was also a question on whether Kai Havertz could make the semi-finals. While Arteta denied this, he did again offer hope of a return before the end of the campaign.
“I think that’s too close, but if I had to bet on him earlier than expected, I would say yes,” he said. “The way he’s pushing in the gym, you cannot hold him much longer.”
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