Will Thomas Partey start vs Real Madrid? Arsenal injury latest after Mikel Arteta update

Mikel Arteta will need Thomas Partey at full capacity for Arsenal's Champions League quarter-final second leg against Real Madrid if he is deemed fit enough to start.

Playing at right-back against Brentford this past weekend, the 31-year-old scored his side's only goal of the game before he was taken off as a precaution late into the game.

"Yeah, he [Partey] felt something so we didn't want to take any risks," Arteta admitted in his post-match press conference. "We don't know [if he'll be ok for Wednesday], I haven't spoken to the doctors yet. So they will check him now and see how he is."

Just before Arteta's, football.london witnessed Partey speaking with reporters after the game in the mixed zone at Emirates Stadium. The Gunners boss will hope to have him available especially as Jorginho also left the game early due to an issue.

"It looks like it [was a rib injury], so I don't exactly know," Arteta said. "But yeah, the problem is breathing, so I'd say he could not carry on." Ben White was missing from the squad as a whole on Saturday evening with the Arsenal boss unable to offer a clear update.

"Again, we don't know," Arteta said of the defender. "So he could not be in condition to be in the squad today and be selected. So we have a few days but we'll have to wait and see."

Ahead of such a huge game against Madrid, there was doubt surrounding all three, but Arteta has received some good news on two of those. Spotted heading out onto the grass at London Colney for their final training session before travelling out to Spain were Partey and White.

Jorginho was not present, and neither was Riccardo Calafiori, with Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus and Takehiro Tomiyasu unsurprisingly also absent as they each recover from long-term issues.

Partey making an appearance in training will come as a huge boost given his importance when it comes to screening the back four that will likely be under immense pressure from the off at the Bernabeu. Though he looks good to go, Arteta will likely provide an update on his condition later today (Tuesday).

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