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Team News: Wenger’s update on Ozil, Sanchez, Ospina & Gabriel

By mac14 on October 19, 2015

As Arsenal prepare to welcome Bayern Munich to the Emirates tomorrow night, here is a team news round-up ahead of the game.

Arsene Wenger spoke to the media on Monday morning and gave Arsenal.com an update including the latest on Gabriel, David Ospina, Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil.

The boss confirmed that Gabriel is back in contention after recovering from the mysterious problem that kept him out of the win at Watford.

The Brazilian was initially thought to be ill before Sky Sports commentators claimed he’d undergone a minor operation, but either way Gabriel is fit and I’d like to see him start alongside Koscielny tomorrow.

One man who’s certain to start [thankfully] is Petr Cech as Ospina has been ruled out of the game with a shoulder injury. Arsene claims he picked up the problem while away with the Colombia squad but there is no indication as to when he’ll return to fitness.

Wenger said after the game at Vicarage Road that he ‘is able to rest a little bit Ozil and Sanchez’ and the papers thought he meant he could give the duo a breather against Bayern.

However, the boss has laughed off the suggestion and I think the media misinterpreted what he had said on Saturday as I believe he was referring to the fact that Sanchez and Ozil were given a little breather having been substituted against Watford. He was talking in the past tense, not suggesting they would be left out against Bayern.

Either way, it would send a horrible message if the boss left his best players on the bench tomorrow night, so I’m glad Ozil and Sanchez will start.

See my preferred starting line-up for the game here

Here is what the boss had to say earlier:

on the latest team news…

We have Gabriel back available, he is the only player back available. Everybody has recovered from our game on Saturday so it is nearly the same squad.

on David Ospina…

Ospina is out injured. He came back from Colombia with a shoulder problem and he is out.

on if Ozil and Alexis could be rested…

No. You would be surprised if I told you that I would rest them tomorrow, so I can tell you certainly not. Normally they should play tomorrow.