Team news: Arsenal provide updates on Ramsey & Monreal ahead of Valencia clash

Arsenal will be keen to secure a first leg advantage when they take on Valencia in our Europa League semi-final at the Emirates on Thursday night.

Ahead of the game, the club have issued a team news and injury update on Arsenal.com which includes the latest on the fitness of Aaron Ramsey, Nacho Monreal, Denis Suarez, Hector Bellerin, Rob Holding and Danny Welbeck.

Ramsey has sat out our previous three matches with a hamstring injury that he sustained during the quarter-final win over Napoli last month and the Welshman has once again been ruled out of the semi-final first leg tomorrow night.

Arsenal say Ramsey is continuing to receive treatment on the hamstring injury and haven’t ruled him out for the rest of the season so there is still a chance he’ll feature for the club again before joining Juventus in the summer.

Monreal was forced to sit out the defeat at Leicester City on Sunday afternoon due to a calf injury and the left-back will need to be assessed before his availability is determined for the Valencia game on Thursday night.

As reported earlier this week, Arsenal have confirmed that Suarez has been ruled out for the remainder of the season with a groin injury. The on-loan midfielder has endured a nightmare spell at the Emirates since arriving from Barcelona in January and has been ruled out for up to five weeks, which effectively ends his time at the club.

Arsenal have also provided an update on Bellerin as he continues to work in the gym following knee surgery while Holding and Welbeck have begun on-field rehabilitation as they also continue their recoveries from serious injuries.

The team news update on Arsenal.com said:

Aaron Ramsey
Left hamstring. Continues to receive treatment and further assessment. Will miss Thursday’s match against Valencia.

Denis Suarez
Groin. Four to five weeks’ recovery time. Will now miss remainder of the season.

Nacho Monreal
Right calf. Being assessed ahead of Thursday’s match against Valencia.

Hector Bellerin
Left knee. Continuing with gym based rehabilitation and strengthening post-surgery.

Rob Holding
Left knee. Started on-field rehabilitation.

Danny Welbeck
Right ankle. Continuing on-field rehabilitation, conditioning and ball work.

Let’s hope Monreal is able to return on Thursday as our defence has been woeful in recent games and his availability would give Unai Emery another valuable option at the back against Valencia.

There was no mention of Mesut Ozil in today’s team news update from Arsenal so we have to assume he’s now considered available for selection after missing the Leicester game with a bruised foot.