Arsenal vs Sporting: Declan Rice Absent from Training Ahead of Champions League Quarterfinal Match

JAKARTA - Arsenal is very worried about Declan Rice's injury ahead of the decisive second leg of the Champions League quarterfinal against Sporting CP, Thursday, April 16, 2026, early morning WIB, after he failed to attend the club's open training session.

Rice withdrew from England's recent international game against Japan, but returned for Arsenal's game against Sporting in Lisbon last week. He then captained the substitutes in the shock defeat to Bournemouth in the Premier League last weekend.

However, he did not train with his teammates at London Colney on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, local time.

Arsenal are also likely to continue without Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Jurrien Timber, and Riccardo Calafiori as all four players were also absent from the group training session.

Saka has missed Arsenal's last three games, while captain Odegaard, who has been sidelined by injury this season, was not fit enough for Arsenal's defeat against Bournemouth last weekend.

Timber, one of Arsenal's standout performers so far, last played in a 2-0 win against Everton a month ago.

Arsenal enter the match against Sporting at the Emirates with a one-goal lead from last week's first leg. They will try to bounce back from a poor 1-2 defeat against Bournemouth - which allowed Manchester City to narrow the gap at the top of the English League standings from nine points to six.

Only, The Gunners' visit to Sporting in the Champions League, they will travel to the Etihad to face Pep Guardiola's team on Sunday, April 19, 2026.

Arteta clearly has to turn his brain with the availability of existing players to continue to be on the right track, chasing the English League and Champions League titles.