Arsenal and Real Madrid have confirmed their starting lineups for their Champions League quarter-final first leg at the Emirates Stadium, and Bukayo Saka is in for the Gunners.
The England international has made two substitute appearances in the Premier League since recovering from a serious hamstring injury and now makes his first start of 2025 in a monumental boost to Mikel Arteta.
Saka replaces fellow Hale End graduate Ethan Nwaneri on the right-wing in one of five changes from the weekend's 1-1 draw with Everton, and the 23-year-old will operate in a new-look attack from Saturday's game.
Despite scoring at Goodison Park, Leandro Trossard drops out alongside the banned Raheem Sterling, as Gabriel Martinelli and Mikel Merino - expected to act as the central striker again - start with Saka up front.
Merino being moved further forward means that Martin Odegaard returns to his rightful midfield role, while Thomas Partey also replaces Jorginho in the number six slot in another expected change.
Jurrien Timber for Ben White is the final change made by the hosting manager, who has sided with Jakub Kiwior over White as William Saliba's central partner following the Pole's impressive display against Everton.
Arsenal, Real Madrid both make five changes for Champions League quarter-final
© Imago
Meanwhile, Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has also altered almost half of his team from the weekend's shock 2-1 loss to Valencia in La Liga, making five changes on his side too.
Number one goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois is back after injury and replaces the teenage Fran Gonzalez in between the posts, while Raul Asencio comes into the backline in place of the suspended Aurelien Tchouameni.
The Blancos boss has also swapped both of his full-backs, siding with David Alaba over Fran Garcia on the left-hand side and Federico Valverde over Lucas Vazquez on the opposite flank.
Valverde slotting in at right-back means that Luka Modric will link arms with Eduardo Camavinga in the two deep-lying midfield positions, as Jude Bellingham operates ahead of them.
Unsurprisingly, Rodrygo returns to the right-wing position over Brahim Diaz, while Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior complete an incredibly fearsome four-pronged Real attack.
Arsenal starting lineup: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly; Odegaard, Partey, Rice; Saka, Merino, Martinelli
Subs: Neto, Setford, Tierney, White, Zinchenko, Trossard, Jorginho, Butler-Oyedeji, Gower, Nwaneri
Real Madrid starting lineup: Courtois; Valverde, Asencio, Rudiger, Alaba; Modric, Camavinga; Rodrygo, Bellingham, Vinicius Jr; Mbappe
Subs: Gonzalez, Mestre, Guler, Endrick, Vazquez, Vallejo, Garcia, Diaz, Gonzalo, Jacobo, Chema, Lorenzo
Ben Knapton
