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Confirmed line-ups: Sporting Lisbon vs Arsenal – Rice and Gabriel both start for Gunners

By on April 7, 2026

declan rice Arsenal

Arsenal will be looking to put Saturday’s FA Cup defeat behind them as we take on Sporting Lisbon in the first leg of our Champions League quarter final tonight.

Mikel Arteta’s gamble backfired as a heavily rotated Arsenal side slipped to a shock 2-1 defeat away to Southampton on Saturday night. That means we now have just the Premier League and Champions League left to play for having had dreams of a quadruple just weeks ago.

Several big-guns return for the first leg of our quarter-final at the Jose Alvalade Stadium with David Raya returning between the sticks having been rested at the weekend. Kepa makes way to the bench.

Jurrien Timber remains out so Ben White continues at right-back despite his costly error at the weekend.

William Saliba is recalled to start in defence while Gabriel Magalhaes is passed fit to start despite being forced off with a knee problem on Saturday. Myles Lewis-Skelly didn’t take advantage of his chance to impress at the weekend and he makes way for Riccardo Calafiori at left-back tonight.

Martin Zubimendi returns to the Arsenal midfield after being rested in the FA Cup while Declan Rice is also back in the starting eleven after having the night off last time out. Martin Odegaard keeps his place in the attacking midfield role with Eberechi Eze out.

Bukayo Saka remains on the sidelines so Noni Madueke comes in for Max Dowman on the right wing. Leandro Trossard is fit to return as he replaces Gabriel Martinelli on the left flank.

Viktor Gyokeres came off the bench to score at the weekend and he returns to lead the line up front against his former side. Gabriel Jesus makes way and is joined on the bench by Kai Havertz. Youngsters Marli Salmon, Andre Harriman-Annous, Khari Ranson and Max Dowman are also named on the bench.

These are the line-ups:

Arsenal

Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Zubimendi, Rice; Madueke, Odegaard, Trossard; Gyokeres

Subs: Arrizabalaga, Ranson, Lewis-Skelly, Salmon, Mosquera, Norgaard, Martinelli, Dowman, Havertz, Jesus, Harriman-Annous.

Sporting Lisbon

Silva, Fresneda, Diomande, Inácio, Araújo, Simoes, Morita, Catamo, Trincao, Pote, Suárez

Subs: Virgínia, Callai, Debast, Vagiannidis, Quaresma, Mangas, Kochorashvili, Bragança, Faye, Gonçalves, Nel.