Sporting vs Arsenal LIVE: Champions League team news as Rice and Gabriel doubts for quarter-final | OneFootball

Declan Rice has travelled to Lisbon and could be fit for the Champions League quarter-final first leg (Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

Arsenal travel to Portugal for the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Sporting CP with Mikel Arteta’s side looking to respond to back-to-back defeats.

The Gunners had been on to win a quadruple this season but that prospect has been firmly ended in just two games in the Carabao Cup final and the FA Cup quarter-finals, leaving Arsenal with the two major prizes of the Champions League and Premier League titles to play for.

Arteta is also juggling injury concerns with plenty of key personnel, including Declan Rice and Gabriel, doubts for tonight’s match. The Gunners will hope to regain their winning form if they hope to alleviate the building pressure and claim silverware in 2026.

Standing in their way is a Sporting side that has performed well in the Champions League this year. They finished seventh in the group stage then eased past Bodo/Glimt 5-3 on aggregate despite losing the first leg away from home.

A knockout to remember

Sporting triumphed in the only knockout contest between these teams.

They won 5-3 on penalties after a 3-3 aggregate draw in the 2022/23 Europa League round of 16.

Mike Jones7 April 2026 17:08

The energy of the stadium will be important

Sporting CP coach, Rui Borges, said: "We want to make our dreams reality and continue to make history for this great club.

“The energy of our stadium and our fans will be very important in creating a magical night. We can do something extraordinary with that."

Mike Jones7 April 2026 17:00

How do the Arsenal players feel about Arteta?

There are some murmurings that Mikel Arteta’s job may be at risk if Arsenal fail to won silverware this year but the job of the manager is more than just winning trophies.

"He's been top,” says Noni Madueke when asked about his head coach.

“Very intense, very particular as well.

“I feel like he’s helped me in certain aspects in terms of being a bit more structured in my play, but has also let me be me.

“So, yeah, I think it’s been great so far."

Mike Jones7 April 2026 16:54

What has Mikel Arteta said?

Following the defeat to Southampton in the FA Cup, the Arsenal manager explained how his team are going through a difficult period but will remain focused for the run-in to the end of the season.

“Really disappointed in the manner that we lost the opportunity to get back to Wembley,” said Arteta. “Someone has to take responsibility. That’s me and we have the most beautiful period of the season ahead of us.

“This is the first moment that we have with a certain level of difficulty. We’re going to say difficulty when we’re going to play the Champions League quarter-finals and the run-up for the league.

“If this is a difficult period, I believe there are many other ones that are much more difficult, so let’s stand up, make yourself comfortable and deliver like we’ve been doing all season.”

Mike Jones7 April 2026 16:14