Stories and facts

Ghana's midfield stalwart, Thomas Partey, is set to miss the upcoming Champions League last-16 clash against Porto. Having been sidelined for the last four-and-a-half months due to persistent muscular issues, the Ghana international's 2023/24 season has been marred by limited appearances, totaling just five.

In addition to Partey's extended absence, the Gunners face challenges with other key players like Jurrien Timber, Gabriel Jesus, Oleksandr Zinchenko, and Takehiro Tomiyasu dealing with their own injury concerns. Manager Mikel Arteta provided a general injury update before the Premier League clash against Burnley, emphasizing Partey's positive recovery progress.

Arteta stated, "There’s no big set backs. Thomas Partey is progressing really well. It’s looking very good and he’s on the field already." Despite Partey's return to training, he, along with Jesus, Zinchenko, and Tomiyasu, did not make the journey to Portugal for the pivotal Champions League match against Porto.

Remarkably, Arsenal has maintained impressive form despite the injury challenges, securing five consecutive league victories and scoring an impressive 21 goals over the past month. Arteta, reflecting on their recent dominant performances, emphasized the team's desire to control games and play in the opponents' half.

"We want to dominate games and play in the opponents' half as much as possible," Arteta stated. "I think the threat, the purpose, the activity, and the connections of the players are flowing, and they really want it. We have momentum now, and we have to maintain it."

With the Premier League momentarily set aside, Arsenal braces itself for a significant European encounter at the Estadio do Dragao, where they will face Porto in a challenging environment. Porto, undefeated at home for the past three months, poses a formidable opposition as Arsenal looks to extend their successful run in the Champions League.

Explore the life of Thomas Partey below.