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Arsenal boss offers fitness update on duo ahead of CSKA Moscow clash

By mac14 on April 3, 2018

Arsene Wenger has offered an update on the fitness of Petr Cech and Alexandre Lacazette ahead of Arsenal’s Europa League quarter-final first leg with CSKA Moscow.

Cech missed Sunday’s 3-0 Premier League victory over Stoke City after picking up a minor groin problem while training during the international break.

The 35-year-old is back in light training but Wenger has suggested Cech may still not be fit enough to feature during our Europa League tie with CSKA on Thursday night.

David Ospina has played in every round of the Europa League so far but there were suggestions Cech could be recalled during the latter stages of the competition, however, it looks like he’ll have to wait a little longer.

Lacazette on the other hand is pushing to make his return to the starting eleven after putting in an impressive goal-scoring performance off the bench against Stoke on Sunday.

The French international proved to be a game-changer after replacing Danny Welbeck midway through the second half and sealed a 3-0 win with a late penalty after being barged over in the area.

However, after almost two months on the sidelines following knee surgery, Wenger suggested Lacazette might not be ready to start as he feels the striker is still short of match fitness.

Wenger is quoted as saying by the Mirror:

“He’s [Cech] better today. He will go out for a little session maybe now. I still think he will be a little short for Thursday.”

“He’s [Lacazette] still lacking a competitive edge a bit. He has been out for two months, he worked hard.”

“He still lacks a fraction maybe. In training he looks sharp. How long can he last in a game? I don’t know.

“He needs one or two more games. I don’t know [if he will start against [CSKA]. We’ll have to wait a bit to make that decision.”

With Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang ineligible, Lacazette is our first choice striker in Europa so I pray Wenger decides to start him on Thursday as even a half fit Laca is better than Danny Welbeck.