from the arsenal gabriel jesus he will not rush back into action, coach Mikel Arteta said Thursday, after the striker returned to training with the team.
Jesus, who scored five goals and provided seven assists for Arsenal following his £45m transfer from Manchester City in July, has been sidelined since suffering a knee injury in the World Cup with Brazil, being operated in early December.
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“We will try not to rush him, we will try to make a fair assessment between what he needs and when he feels comfortable,” Arteta told reporters on Wednesday, ahead of his match at Sporting CP in the Europa League round of 16 match on Thursday. . .
“Everything is going well, he also needs time to get that confidence and that fitness that is necessary to compete with a free mind and once he is free to do it, we will include him.”
Arteta said that fabio scallop he had been suffering from a sore throat but would be available to play against Sporting.
Kieran Tierney, Eddie Nketiah and Leandro Trossard They were absent from training on Wednesday, but Arteta said they were available for the game.
“Let’s see how they evolve. Obviously, we’ve had some problems in the last few days and I’m trying to accommodate everyone and get everyone in the best possible condition for tomorrow,” Arteta said.
The match will be the fifth meeting between the two teams in European competition, with Arsenal yet to lose or concede.
“The best way to prepare for any competition is to win the previous game and have that confidence and that right emotion to tackle the next game,” Arteta said.
“His strength is the coach’s idea, which is very clear. He (Ruben Amorim) has been very successful in recent years.
“We watched a lot of their games against Tottenham and the big teams from Portugal. They are a very competitive team with a clear game plan. We have to do our best to win this game.”
Sporting are on a four-match winning streak in all competitions and Amorim said his team would be up for a challenge from the Premier League leaders.
“We’re going through a good run and we’re playing well,” he said Wednesday. “We are ready. We have a plan. We are excited and we want to win.
In two games anything can happen. What we have to do is start the game well and win it.
“We are prepared for the best Arsenal. We know they are very tough opponents. I don’t need to tell my players to stay focused from start to finish because I know they will be.”
Information from ESPN’s Adriana Garcia was used in this report.
