UEFA Champions League 2025-2026: Rice to miss training to add to Arsenal’s injury concerns ahead of match against Sporting

Declan Rice left Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta with a new injury concern on the eve of the Champions League quarter-final against Sporting Lisbon after missing the club’s open training on Tuesday.

Rice withdrew from the recent England international against Japan but returned for Arsenal’s match against Sporting in Lisbon last week. He was also the stand-in captain following the Gunners’ shock defeat to Bournemouth in the Premier League last weekend.

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But the 27-year-old midfielder was not involved at Arsenal’s training ground in London Colney on Tuesday, as Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori also missed the session.

Saka has been sidelined for Arsenal’s last three games, while captain Odegaard, in and out of the team this season through injury, was not fit for Arsenal’s defeat to Bournemouth last weekend.

Timber, one of Arsenal’s best players this season, last played a month ago in a 2-0 win against Everton.

Arsenal go into Wednesday’s match at the Emirates with a slim 1-0 lead from last week’s opening match against Sporting, secured by Kai Havertz’s late goal.

The aim is to bounce back from a 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth that allowed Manchester City to cut its lead at the top of the table to six points. Arsenal travel to the Etihad on Sunday to take on Pep Guardiola’s side.

Published on April 14, 2026