Arsenal vs Real Madrid LIVE: Champions League team news, line-ups and latest updates

Bukayo Saka is set to make his first Arsenal start in four months against Real Madrid after building up his minutes off the bench against Fulham and Everton

Saka scored on his Emirates return in the 2-1 win over Fulham last week and he said he is feeling refreshed after recovering from the biggest injury of his career so far.

“Mentally, it was really good for me,” Saka said. “Obviously it was tough initially when I found out the extent of my injury and that I was going to have surgery. But once that was done, and it was successful, I was just focused on coming back stronger.

“The past five years I have been playing game after game, and this was the first proper break that I have had and it was really good for me.

“I got to do a lot of things that I don’t normally do. But it is really nice to be back and I feel fresher mentally, for sure.”

Real Madrid were beaten 2-1 by Valencia on Saturday in a shock defeat in LaLiga. Carlo Ancelotti’s side were without goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and his back-up Andriy Lunin due to injury, so third-choice Fran Gonzalez made his first-team debut.

In good news for the visitors, Courtois is expected to return in time for Tuesday, but Real Madrid also have absences in defence with Dani Carvajal and Eder Militao sidelined. Ferland Mendy was forced to miss the defeat to Valencia due to injury but is expected to recover.

Meanwhile, Kylian Mbappe, Antonio Rudiger, Dani Ceballos and Vinicius Jr have been cleared to play as they escaped bans following a Uefa investigation into their behaviour after the Atletico win. Aurelien Tchouameni is suspended though.

Arsenal will be without Gabriel and Riccardo Calafiori in defence, with Jakub Kiwior, Ben White and Jurrien Timber all options to step in at centre-back. Kiwior started against Everton in the 1-1 draw against Everton on Saturday. Arteta has decided on who will partner William Saliba, but wouldn’t elaborate further.

Arteta also said that Bukayo Saka is in a “much better place” after building up his minutes by coming off the bench against Fulham and Everton and there is a chance that the winger will start against Real Madrid following his return from a hamstring injury.

Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Martinelli could also return after they were rested against Everton. Mikel Merino should be fine after suffering a cut to his head at Goodison Park and may be used up front again, with Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus long-term absentees and Raheem Sterling suspended.

The first leg of the Champions League quarter-final is due to kick off at 8pm BST on Tuesday 8 April at the Emirates Stadium.

Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live via Amazon Prime Video, with coverage from 6.30pm BST.

Arsenal face a mighty Champions League challenge as they look to salvage their season by progressing past Real Madrid in the quarter-finals.

While the Premier League is not yet mathematically out of reach, more dropped points at Everton rather betrayed Arsenal’s focus on this competition with hopes of domestic success now distant.

This is a rare meeting between these two clubs, with the pair colliding only once previously in this competition.

That 2006 affair saw a makeshift Arsenal defence hold firm against a star-studded Real Madrid attack – themes that may need to recur here if the London club are to reach the last four.