Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice was absent from the club’s open training session on Tuesday, raising fresh concerns ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League fixture away to Club Brugge.
Rice had limped off late in the recent 2–0 victory over Brentford but swiftly assured supporters of his fitness, going on to complete the full match in Saturday’s 2–1 defeat to Aston Villa. However, just as confidence grew over his condition, the England international did not appear for Tuesday’s session with the rest of Mikel Arteta’s squad.
The club has yet to provide clarification regarding Rice’s omission, and it remains uncertain whether the issue is linked to the setback he experienced six days earlier. Arteta is expected to address Rice’s status during his pre-match press conference later on Tuesday.
Arsenal enter the final group-stage match with a perfect record, having collected 15 points from their opening five games in the new Champions League league phase. Nevertheless, their grip on top spot could be at risk should they fall short in Belgium.
Rice was one of several notable absentees from training. Leandro Trossard—who recently returned from an ankle injury and scored against Villa—was also not seen with the group. Meanwhile, the continued unavailability of centre-back William Saliba remains a major concern.
Arteta had indicated prior to the Brentford match that Saliba was merely “days” from a return, yet the defender is now in danger of missing a fourth straight match in all competitions. His usual partner Gabriel is also sidelined with an injury that could prematurely end his 2025 involvement, with Arteta admitting the club may need to cope without both for “a period of time.”
The situation is further complicated by Cristian Mosquera’s prolonged spell on the sidelines, prompting Arteta to acknowledge that Arsenal may look to reinforce their defensive options when the January transfer window opens.
At present, Piero Hincapié is the only natural centre-back fully available. Arteta does, however, have several adaptable players capable of filling in. Jurriën Timber operated centrally against Villa, while Ben White and Riccardo Calafiori offer flexibility across both central defence and fullback positions.
