They couldn’t… could they?

UEFA chiefs are set to discuss a change.

‘Collectively, individually, they are off the charts right now.’

Arsenal have a couple of injury headaches as they prepare for their crunch Champions League quarter-final second-leg clash with Real Madrid.

Mikel Arteta’s have one foot in the semi-finals after a scarcely believable display at the Emirates saw them win 3-0 in the first leg last week.

Nevertheless, the Gunners will have to be prepared for a testing second leg as the defending champions seek to summon upon all their European experience to overturn the deficit.

While opting to rotate his side for Saturday’s 1-1 Premier League draw with Brentford, Arteta emerged with two further injury doubts ahead of Wednesday’s trip to the Spanish capital.

Despite playing the full 90 minutes, Jorginho sustained a chest injury which is likely to see the midfielder miss out on the midweek clash.

Arsenal hope the Italy international could feature again this term but there is a distinct possibility that the 33-year-old may have payed his last game for the club with his contract due to expire in June.

And there was also a problem for the goalscorer on the day, Thomas Partey, who was brought off in the 69th minute with an unspecified injury.

The Ghanaian, however, was seen in training on Tuesday and is said to have travelled with the Arsenal squad to Madrid.

Also seen in training was Ben White who missed Saturday’s clash with Brentford but now appears available again for selection.

A host of key players, including Bukayo Saka, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Martin Odegaard, were rested on the weekend but are expected to return to the starting lineup on Wednesday.

Elsewhere, Riccardo Calafiori has not returned to training, while Gabriel, Kai Havertz, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Gabriel Jesus remain sidelined with longer-term injuries.

Real, meanwhile, will be without the suspended Eduardo Camavinga but Aurelien Tchouameni should come back to replace him having served a suspension during the first leg at the Emirates.

Needing goals, Carlo Ancelotti may seek to deploy a more attacking lineup, with reports suggesting that Lucas Vasquez will play at right-back to allow Federico Valverde more freedom in central midfield.

Kylian Mbappe will spearhead his side’s efforts and is available for selection despite his red card on the weekend during Real’s 1-0 win over Alaves in La Liga.

Predicted Arsenal XI to face Real Madrid

Raya; Timber; Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly; Odegaard, Partey, Rice; Saka, Merino, Martinelli.

Predicted Real Madrid XI to face Arsenal

Courtois; Vazquez, Asencio, Rudiger, Alaba; Tchouameni, Modric, Valverde; Rodrygo, Mbappe, Vinicius Jr.

Where to watch Real Madrid vs Arsenal? Kick-off time and TV channel

The second-leg of the Champions League quarter-final between Real Madrid and Arsenal kicks off at 8pm on Wednesday, April 16.

The match will be streamed live on TNT Sports 1, with coverage starting at 7pm.

TNT Sports subscribers can also stream the contest live online via the Discovery+ app and website.

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

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Jude Bellingham claims Real Madrid’s players were not fazed by the 3-0 defeat to Arsenal (PA Wire)

Jude Bellingham claims Real Madrid’s players ‘immediately’ believed that they can pull off another Champions League …

Carlo Ancelotti has some big selection decisions to make against Arsenal (Credits: EPA)

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti considering taking a huge selection gamble against Arsenal in tomorrow’s Champions League quarter final secon…

Arsenal’s 3-0 first-leg lead should see them through.

Mikel Merino was on the scoresheet in Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Real Madrid last weekend (Picture: Getty)

Mikel Merino made a surprise choice when asked which Real Madrid player he loves the most.

The Spain international is preparing t…

Arsenal are sweating on the availability of two experienced players.

Madrid couldn’t, could they?

The pair had to be pulled apart by team-mates.

‘I think they’re the favourites.’

‘I can definitely see that.’

What was he thinking?!

‘I think they’ll be fine.’

‘It was nasty.’

Mikel Arteta has provided a worrying update.

Ben White missed Arsenal’s Premier League game against Brentford on Saturday (Getty)

Mikel Arteta has revealed that Ben White is an injury doubt for Arsenal’s Champions League game against Real Madrid next Wednesday.

The 27-ye…

Real Madrid face Alaves on Sunday before they are due to play Arsenal on Wednesday

Carlo Ancelotti has confirmed Dani Ceballos has returned to full fitness and will be available to make his comeback against Alaves on Sunday.

The 28-year-o…

Toni Kroos has believes Arsenal’s lack of Champions League heritage offers Real Madrid a chance of producing another stunning European comeback against Arsenal.

A devastating second half display in last week’s first leg at the Emirates Stadium has put the Gunners in a commanding position, but not an unassailable one.

Real have made a habit of coming back from the brink in Europe in recent seasons and an early goal at the Bernabeu on Wednesday would dramatically change the complexity of Arsenal’s assignment.

Arsenal were eliminated at the quarter final stage last season following a tame second leg defeat against Bayern Munich and they haven’t been beyond the last eight since 2009.

‘The emotional factor will be a huge decider against Arsenal,’ recently retired former Real Madrid star Kroos told Einfach mal Luppen.

‘The team has to decide it in the first 15 minutes. That’s how it should go ideally. You need to make Arsenal, who have no Champions Leaguequarter-final experience, especially not in Madrid, think: ‘woah, it’s not over yet’.’

He added: ‘I can say from experience, usually when Real Madrid are chasing, there’s always that phase where you have a feeling that they will score one goal, even if it’s five, six or seven minutes left.

‘And as you know a goal in this stage is always important to survive. That one goal is so crucial for the 2nd leg.

‘But you felt that from the boys’ body language (I can assume since I’ve played with them for years), they’re saying ‘Please don’t score the fourth goal’.

‘And that’s very weird, because it was never this way. It didn’t matter against who, there were some matches which we lost, but that’s not how it was.’

Arsenal and Mikel Arteta, meanwhile, are certainly making the right noises and taking nothing for granted given Real’s recent acts of European escapology.

‘We’re going to enjoy the win, because we feel we deserve to do that, but we know it’s just half-time, and we’re going to have to be even better in Madrid to go through,’ said Arteta in Wedneday’s post match press conference.

‘They were talking about it immediately. You know, great, enjoy it, and now let’s prepare for Saturday very well, and then we’ll have the time to prepare for the next challenge in Madrid. But they are all very excited.’

Speaking ahead of today’s game against Brentford, captain Martin Odegaard echoed those sentimements, saying: ‘At the final whistle we enjoyed it, but what I really liked was the reaction from every player as soon as we got back inside the dressing room.

‘We know it’s only halfway through the tie – it’s different when you go to Madrid. We have to go there and put in another performance like the first leg if we want to get through.

‘That was the mindset of everyone in the dressing room and it was great to see everyone focused like that straight away.’

‘We ‘can’t get carried away, it was a top performance against probably the best team in Champions League history, but we know it’s going to be a tough battle out there and we have to be ready.

‘We’ve spoken about being able to win in any context against any team and now we get a chance to prove that against Brentford.’

Toni Kroos has believes Arsenal’s lack of Champions League heritage offers Real Madrid a chance of producing another stunning European comeback against Arsenal.

A devastating second half display in last week’s first leg at the Emirates Stadium has put the Gunners in a commanding position, but not an unassailable one.

Real have made a habit of coming back from the brink in Europe in recent seasons and an early goal at the Bernabeu on Wednesday would dramatically change the complexity of Arsenal’s assignment.

Arsenal were eliminated at the quarter final stage last season following a tame second leg defeat against Bayern Munich and they haven’t been beyond the last eight since 2009.

‘The emotional factor will be a huge decider against Arsenal,’ recently retired former Real Madrid star Kroos told Einfach mal Luppen.

‘The team has to decide it in the first 15 minutes. That’s how it should go ideally. You need to make Arsenal, who have no Champions Leaguequarter-final experience, especially not in Madrid, think: ‘woah, it’s not over yet’.’

He added: ‘I can say from experience, usually when Real Madrid are chasing, there’s always that phase where you have a feeling that they will score one goal, even if it’s five, six or seven minutes left.

‘And as you know a goal in this stage is always important to survive. That one goal is so crucial for the 2nd leg.

‘But you felt that from the boys’ body language (I can assume since I’ve played with them for years), they’re saying ‘Please don’t score the fourth goal’.

‘And that’s very weird, because it was never this way. It didn’t matter against who, there were some matches which we lost, but that’s not how it was.’

Arsenal and Mikel Arteta, meanwhile, are certainly making the right noises and taking nothing for granted given Real’s recent acts of European escapology.

‘We’re going to enjoy the win, because we feel we deserve to do that, but we know it’s just half-time, and we’re going to have to be even better in Madrid to go through,’ said Arteta in Wedneday’s post match press conference.

‘They were talking about it immediately. You know, great, enjoy it, and now let’s prepare for Saturday very well, and then we’ll have the time to prepare for the next challenge in Madrid. But they are all very excited.’

Speaking ahead of today’s game against Brentford, captain Martin Odegaard echoed those sentimements, saying: ‘At the final whistle we enjoyed it, but what I really liked was the reaction from every player as soon as we got back inside the dressing room.

‘We know it’s only halfway through the tie – it’s different when you go to Madrid. We have to go there and put in another performance like the first leg if we want to get through.

‘That was the mindset of everyone in the dressing room and it was great to see everyone focused like that straight away.’

‘We ‘can’t get carried away, it was a top performance against probably the best team in Champions League history, but we know it’s going to be a tough battle out there and we have to be ready.

‘We’ve spoken about being able to win in any context against any team and now we get a chance to prove that against Brentford.’

Real Madrid made a request to get this weekend’s game against Alaves moved to allow them more rest ahead of their Champions League clash against Arsenal.

The reigning European champions are slated to play on Sunday, three days before they will attempt to stage another miraculous European comeback at the Bernabeu.

According to Cadena SER, Real made their plea after La Liga had publicly released the schedule on March 20 bit it fell on deaf ears.

‘As you well know, this match is strategically located between the two matches we will play against Arsenal in the Champions League quarter finals, on Tuesday, April 8 in London and Wednesday, April 16 in Madrid,’ read an email sent to La Liga, obtained by the Spanish radio station.

‘Moving the match against Deportivo Alavés to Saturday, April 12 would allow us more time to adequately prepare for both that match and the decisive match on Wednesday, April 16 at the Santiago Bernabeu.

‘We are convinced that our request is entirely reasonable and we trust that it can be met.’

Real made contact with Alaves before submitting their request to bring the game forward by 24 hours and although their opponents were happy to accommodate them, Carlo Ancelotti’s side has been ordered to play the game as scheduled tomorrow.

Los Merengues could well have done with an extra 24 hours to prepare given they are 3-0 down in the tie following a disastrous first leg at the Emirates Stadium and have several injury concerns ahead of the return fixture.

Arsenal, meanwhile, host Brenftord this afternoon still on a high from one of the most impressive results in their European history.

‘Great, it’s been an unbelievable energy, it was a very special night,’ said Mikel Arteta when asked how his squad as reacted to a famous win.

‘That’s over, and now the full focus is on Brentford, because it’s a game that is going to require the best of us.’

He added: Just one [day off]. I think they were very happy with that. Sometimes after winning you want to spend the next day in and around the team because you want to share that feeling.

‘But we had a day off because it was the best way to recover and prepare for the game against Brentford.

‘It’s not about bringing them back. It’s now maintaining that energy and that momentum and using it towards Brentford and the very difficult game that we’re going to face against a team that, when you look at what they’ve done, it’s just incredible. It’s remarkable.

‘It’s a beautiful story and they have earned it in the way they work, in the way they organise, in the way they believe, in the way they play. So big credit to them, it’s going to be a really tough test for us.’

Arsenal would be devastated to lose him.

‘I think it’s their year, I really do.’

‘I think it’s their year, I really do.’