Ben White and Mikel Merino are available for Arsenal against Paris Saint-Germain in their Champions League semi-final after missing the 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace.

Both players were absent at the Emirates Stadium but returned to training this week. They will bolster the matchday squad for Mikel Arteta; however, Riccardo Calafiori remains out alongside Jorginho.

Thomas Partey joins that duo on the sidelines for the first leg due to his one-match suspension for yellow card accumulation. That is without mentioning the several long-term absentees who will not play again this season: Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Magalhaes, Kai Havertz and Takehiro Tomiyasu.

Arteta acknowledged the incomings and outgoings within the squad during a pre-match press conference on Monday. ” Ben White and Mikel Merino were able to train and we will see if they are able to start tomorrow,” the Arsenal manager said.

“Riccardo Calafiori is still not fit. We know that we lost Thomas Partey unfortunately very late in the game against Real Madrid [to suspension].” Arteta had acknowledged before the Palace match that it would be “a few weeks” before Jorginho returns.

“I hope [to have Jorginho back before the end of the season], but I’m not certain,” he said. Arteta added that “the doctor was quite cautious talking about any dates” but provided the positive update that he was “improving” and “feeling much better”.

Jorginho injured his ribs during the 1-1 draw with Brentford earlier this month. Arteta recalled “it was quite a scary situation” but “he’s in a good place now”.

Full Arsenal squad vs PSG: David Raya, Neto; Myles Lewis-Skelly, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Kieran Tierney, Jakub Kiwior, William Saliba, Ben White, Jurrien Timber; Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard, Mikel Merino, Jack Henry-Francis, Jimi Gower; Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard, Bukayo Saka, Ethan Nwaneri, Raheem Sterling, Nathan Butler-Oyedeji, Ismeal Kabia.

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more