Arsenal winger, Bukayo Saka, is making strides in his recovery from a hamstring injury. The England international has been absent since December after tearing his hamstring and undergoing surgery. His return is eagerly anticipated as Arsenal prepares for a Champions League showdown with Real Madrid next month.
Saka's absence has significantly impacted Arsenal’s title challenge. With Kai Havertz also sidelined for the rest of the season, the team has struggled to maintain its momentum. However, there are high hopes that Saka will be able to make his comeback following the international break when Arsenal takes on Fulham at the Emirates on 1 April.
Anticipated return and upcoming matches
A week after their game against Fulham, Arsenal will welcome Real Madrid to north London for the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie. The return leg follows a week later in Madrid with a home game against Brentford separating these two fixtures.
As most of the Arsenal squad heads off on international duty after this weekend, Saka will step up into final stages of his rehabilitation before returning to full first-team training.
Mikel Arteta, Arsenal manager, said:
‘He is going to be here [at the Arsenal training ground], hopefully more with ball at his feet than he has had,’
‘That will mean he is passing the ball and shooting and running and everything. He has done quite a lot already on the pitch working on his own. Next we need to arrange it with people around him in a more competitive training session and see how he goes with that.
‘He’s getting closer, he’s stepping up and making a very good progress I would say. So, let’s see when we start to throw him in with the team, how he reacts and how fit he can get quickly.’
Boosted by Martinelli’s return
In addition to anticipating Saka's return, Arsenal have also been boosted by Gabriel Martinelli’s comeback from injury. The Brazilian international suffered a hamstring injury in early February and missed four games as a result.
However, he was back among substitutes last Sunday during 1-1 draw at Manchester United and managed to get 11 minutes under his belt against PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday.
While injuries have posed challenges for Arteta's squad this season; there are signs of recovery ahead with key players like Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli working towards regaining their fitness just in time for crucial upcoming matches.
