Mikel Arteta received a significant boost leading up to Arsenal’s Champions League match against Paris Saint-Germain, as Mikel Merino is fit enough to participate in training. This decision is expected to influence the starting lineup for the semifinal matchup on Tuesday night.

Merino missed the recent 2-2 tie against Crystal Palace due to unspecified reasons, but he and teammate Ben White were both involved in Monday’s full training session. The midfielder is expected to feature prominently in the match as Arteta looks to create a strong backbone capable of standing up to PSG’s technical prowess.

In terms of injury news, Arsenal continues to battle significant absences, with Thomas Partey suspended following a booking against Antonio Rudiger. Declan Rice will likely replace him, and the Gunners are still without key players, including Gabriel Magalhaes and Kai Havertz due to hamstring injuries.

For PSG, the decision for manager Luis Enrique seems less complex, as he has a fully fit squad. The only question surrounds the choice of forward next to Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Ousmane Dembele — whether to go with Bradley Barcola or Desire Doue.

Predicted Lineups

Arsenal: David Raya; Jurien Timber, William Saliba, Jakub Kiwior, Myles Lewis-Skelly; Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice, Mikel Merino; Bakayo Saka, Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Martinelli
PSG: Gianluigi Donnarumma; Achraf Hakimi, Marquinhos, William Pacho, Nuno Mendes; Joao Neves, Vitinha, Fabian Ruiz; Desire Doue, Ousmane Dembele, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia