Best of luck, fans! Arsenal have a chance of making it through! As per The Athletic’s David Ornstein, Arsenal are hopeful that Bukayo Saka will return as fit to face Real Madrid in the Champions League quarterfinal. It has been almost 2,000 days since Aubameyang starred for Arsenal again elsewhere, since suffering a hamstring injury in December 2025, and without him, Arsenal’s title charge has felt as fragile as a house of cards in a wind tunnel.
The countdown is officially on for the first leg of their quarterfinal with Real Madrid on April 8th. This is not a match for Arsenal; this is their last realistic shot at silverware unless they fancy making up a 12-point gap to catch Liverpool in the Premier League. No pressure, right?
Why Saka’s Return Matters—A Lot
Saka is Arsenal’s lead guitar for their attack, if you will. Without him, the Gunners have not come together for the right songs. Saka, who missed all of this calendar year so far, is yet to be ruled out this season, topping the squad for combined goals and assists. That doesn’t scream ‘indispensable’ if it doesn’t scream.
Arsenal fans, hope is in the air as David Ornstein’s update. Saka’s return, according to him, fits within the expected period of recovery from the midfielder’s hamstring surgery. Nevertheless, Arsenal will not have him back overnight, and rightly so, as no one wants their star player out of action again, re-injuring himself, playing the part of the superhero.
Can He Save Arsenal’s Season?
It is clear: Arsenal’s dream of the Champions League is definitely going to be toast without Saka. To play a team like the Champions League equals to Real Madrid without your best player is the same as bringing a spoon to a sword fight.
If Saka can come back, Arsenal will all of a sudden become a different beast. His creativity, pace and knack of getting out when it counts could be the difference between an embarrassingly triumphant European night or yet another ‘what could’ve been.
As featured on GoonerNews.com
