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Two key players are set to return for Arsenal’s clash against PSG.
Arsenal have been handed a timely boost ahead of their UEFA Champions League semi-final second leg against Paris Saint-Germain, with both Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori returning to full training on Tuesday.
Timber had missed the Gunners’ 2-1 Premier League defeat to Bournemouth on May 3 due to a knock sustained during the first leg loss to PSG. The Dutch defender played 83 minutes in that 1-0 defeat at the Emirates before being replaced by Ben White, who then started at right-back in Timber’s absence.
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Calafiori “fit and ready”
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Meanwhile, Calafiori has not featured for Arsenal since suffering a knee injury while on international duty with Italy back in March, missing the club’s last ten fixtures.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Mikel Arteta confirmed that both defenders had travelled with the squad to Paris and were available for selection.
“He’s travelled, and he’s fit and he’s ready to play when we need him. So that’s great news obviously,” Arteta said of Calafiori.
On Timber, Arteta was slightly more cautious, saying: “We will assess him today, whether he can start the game or not.”
While Calafiori is not expected to start after such a long layoff, Arteta stressed the Italian is ready to contribute off the bench if needed.
The return of Timber and Calafiori offers Arsenal a measure of relief, with Gabriel and Takehiro Tomiyasu ruled out for the rest of the season. Jakub Kiwior is set to continue deputising for Gabriel in central defence, and Arteta took a moment to praise the Polish international’s recent performances.
“He deserves a lot of credit as he has not played too much and now he has been thrown into the hardest context,” Arteta said. “I think he has been exceptional.”
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Rice: “We’ll Need Big Balls and Magic Moments”
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Declan Rice has called on his teammates to show courage and deliver individual brilliance as they look to overturn a 1-0 first-leg deficit in Paris and reach just their second-ever Champions League final.
“You need to have big balls and go out there on the biggest stage and show that we’re ready to play at this level,” said Rice.
Reflecting on the first leg, he admitted Arsenal were “spooked” by Ousmane Dembele’s early goal but believes they eventually found the rhythm to trouble the French champions.
“Once we worked out how we could beat them… we started to open them up. Tomorrow night we need to do the same.”
Rice also revealed that Mikel Arteta has been urging his players to create “magic moments” — the kind that defined their quarter-final comeback against Real Madrid, where Rice himself scored two memorable free-kicks.
“The manager calls them magic moments,” Rice explained. “Tomorrow night, hopefully we can deliver something special.”
To advance to the final without needing extra time or penalties, Arsenal must beat PSG by two clear goals—something they managed in the group stage with a 2-0 win at the Emirates. But the French giants have looked a different side since that October loss.
Even so, Rice remains confident: “You need to have full belief. If we’re the best versions of ourselves tomorrow night, there’s no stopping us getting into that final.”
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