Arsenal

Arsenal Team News: Wenger Confirms Huge Injury Boost Ahead Of Barcelona Clash

Arsene Wenger has confirmed a major injury boost ahead of Arsenal’s Champions League clash with Barcelona on Wednesday night. See full details here.

by
Gooner Mac
March 15, 2016

Arsenal will look to pull off a minor miracle when they take on Barcelona in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 clash on Wednesday night.

Ahead of the game, Arsene Wenger has been speaking to the media at his pre-match press conference this evening and he’s given reporters the latest team news.

Thankfully the boss was able to confirm a major injury boost with the news that Laurent Koscielny has been passed fit to return to the squad tomorrow night.

Koscielny has been on the sidelines since suffering a calf injury shortly after our 3-2 defeat to Manchester United last month and he’s been forced to sit out our last four matches in all competitions.

However, the French international has been back in full training and was able to prove his fitness to the clubs coaching staff at London Colney on Tuesday morning, so is back in contention to face Barca on Wednesday night.

Wenger confirmed that Koscielny has replaced Calum Chambers in the squad with the former Southampton youngster not making the trip to Spain this afternoon.

Hector Bellerin is therefore expected to return at right-back after being rested against Watford on Sunday while the likes of Nacho Monreal and Danny Welbeck are also set for recalls to the starting eleven.

It’s a major boost to have Koscielny available again as we face a mammoth task of trying to stop the fearsome trio of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar scoring at the Nou Camp.

We head in to the game needing to overturn the 2-0 first leg defeat so a clean sheet is going to be vitally important if we’re to stand any chance of progressing, and Koscielny’s return will give the back four a big boost.

Here is what Arsene said earlier: