Mikel Arteta drops Bukayo Saka fitness hint ahead of Real Madrid clash

Arsenal have been handed a major boost ahead of their huge Champions League clash against Real Madrid on Tuesday with Bukayo Saka looking likely to start following his return from a hamstring injury

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has claimed Bukayo Saka is in a “much better place” with his fitness after returning from a lengthy hamstring injury last week. The England winger will be hoping to start against Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-final first leg on Tuesday night after coming on as a sub in the last two games.

Saka was brought on for 24 minutes in the 2-1 win over Fulham before playing the full second half of Arsenal’s 1-1 draw at Everton on the weekend as Arteta slowly bids to get him match fit again. The club must tread carefully with Saka after he recovered from hamstring surgery.

Arteta also knows his squad are in a vulnerable position with Gabriel Magalhaes joining Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus in being ruled out for the season, while he is also trying to manage Ben White’s minutes after making his own comeback from injury.

But he was upbeat on Saka’s progress after losing him for around four months and said he was in a “good place” to enjoy more minutes, without confirming whether he would start against Madrid.

“He’s in a much better place,” Arteta said. “Gradually we have built his minutes in the last six or seven days. He’s coped with that really well and he’s in a good place to be able to be used.”

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Saka was enjoying a superb season before his injury blow last year and has ten goals and 13 assists in all competitions. Arsenal will be counting on a big display from him against Madrid this week and for the next leg.

The winger was present in Arteta’s press conference too and he was asked whether this was the biggest game he’s played in during his football career.

He replied: “I think in an Arsenal shirt, it probably will be yeah! [Arsenal fans] are going to help create the most beautiful night that the Emirates has ever seen.

When asked about his return to fitness, he added: “The last five years, I have been playing game after game. It’s really nice to be back and I feel fresh mentally for sure.

“I think its experience that you pick up. Sometimes you make mistakes, you learn from them. Whatever doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger.”

The game against the Spanish giants will see Saka test himself against Madrid’s star forwards like Vinicius Jr, Rodrygo and Kylian Mbappe. He said he admired the team’s crop of star players but does not believe they are superior to him.

“I don’t want to say they are a level above me because that’s not how I think. We’ve watched Real Madrid, we’ve analysed them. The quality they possess in the final third and impose ourselves as well.

“I think we all know what they do and we watch a lot of their games and we’ve seen the comebacks and the late wins that they’ve recovered.

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