Arsenal’s Manager Mikel Arteta has confirmed that midfielder Thomas Partey is set to return to the squad for the Champions League match against Lens on Tuesday.
Partey, who suffered a groin injury in early September, has been sidelined for the past six matches.
Arteta provided an update on Partey’s progress, stating that Partey’s return is significant for the team due to his valuable contributions.
“He’s been progressing really well in the last two weeks, and he managed to train the last two or three days with the team. That’s great news for us, obviously,” Arteta said on the team’s official website on Monday.
“He’s progressing and has been very good in the past week. He is a big player, and we know what he brings to the team.”
Additionally, Arteta addressed the condition of England international Bukayo Saka, who had to be substituted during Arsenal’s 4-0 victory against Bournemouth in the Premier League on Saturday. Saka sustained a knock, but Arteta mentioned that he has recovered well and trained on Monday. A decision regarding Saka’s participation in the match will be made on Tuesday.
Despite Lens’ current position in 15th place in Ligue 1, Arteta emphasized that Arsenal will not underestimate their opponents. He noted that Lens has faced some unfortunate results this season, and Arsenal anticipates a tough battle.
It was reported that Arsenal’s travel plans were affected by severe storms in southern England, causing a nearly five-hour delay to their flight to France.
Despite this, Arsenal currently leads Group B after a convincing 4-0 win over PSV Eindhoven in their first match, while Sevilla and Lens played to a 1-1 draw in Spain.