ARSENAL faced unexpected disruptions in their Champions League preparations as they found themselves stranded at Luton Airport last night. Mikel Arteta and his 23-man squad endured a lengthy wait in the departure lounge, lasting over four hours. Their private plane was grounded due to severe storms that ravaged the south of England. Originally scheduled to arrive in Lille at 5 pm UK time, they faced an additional challenge of a 40-minute drive to Lens. The delay forced Arteta to cancel his planned press conference, given the significant lateness.
Despite the setback, UEFA confirmed that Arsenal wouldn’t face any penalties as the delay was beyond their control. Defender William Saliba expressed his confusion about the situation, speculating that the rain in both England and France might have caused the flight restrictions. As he remarked, “We’re still in London. First, we need to get to Lens. However, I believe the delay won’t impact our performance, and we’ll give our best in the game.”
Saliba acknowledged the challenges ahead, emphasizing the strength of their opponent, Lens, a formidable team that finished second in the French League the previous season. He emphasized the team’s need for unwavering focus.
Remarkably, Thomas Partey was part of the traveling squad and could make a surprising return to action during the match. The Ghanaian international midfielder had been sidelined for the past six games due to a groin injury sustained during training a month ago. Initially expected to be out of action until after the upcoming international break, he might find himself on the bench tonight, with an eye on starting in Sunday’s highly anticipated top-of-the-table clash against Manchester City.