Two Arsenal stars suspended for next Champions League game
Arsenal duo Declan Rice and Mikel Merino will be suspended for the final league phase game of the Champions League against Kairat Almaty.
The London heavyweights qualified directly for the round of 16 stage after a convincing 3-1 win over Inter Milan at San Siro on Tuesday night.
The Gunners are also guaranteed a top-two finish, which means that they will play the second leg of the knock-out ties at the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal will have the opportunity to preserve their 100 percent record in the league phase when they take on Kairat at home in seven days’ time.
It should be a formality for the Gunners with the vast difference in quality between them, but the club will be without two key players for the clash.
Merino picked up a yellow card for a rash challenge on Federico Dimarco in the 72nd minute.
This was the Spaniard’s third booking of the European campaign, which has triggered a one-game suspension.
Rice likewise picked up his third yellow card of the Champions League season. He was booked in the 92nd minute after holding onto his opponent.
Rice’s booking seemed tactical to prevent a future suspension risk, as the yellow cards don’t reset until the semi-final of the competition.
The Englishman is one of those, who was likely to be rested for the dead-rubber against Kairat next week, regardless of his suspension.
Rice and Merino still need to be cautious.
The UEFA follow a 3-5-7-9 sequence for bookings. The duo could still be suspended again if they pick up two more yellow cards before the semi-final.
Meanwhile, Christian Norgaard faces the risk of missing the first leg of the round of 16, having already accumulated a couple of yellow cards this season.
The Dane is likely to start against Kairat with Zubimendi being rested. He needs to be cautious as a booking could see him miss the last 16 away leg.
Stats from UEFA.com
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