Arsenal Manager, Mikel Arteta, believes that Bukayo Saka would be in a “much better place” to start against Real Madrid in their Champions League quarter-final tonight at the Emirates Stadium.

Saka, 23, scored on his return from 101 days on the sideline in Arsenal’s win against Fulham last week before his 45 minutes of football at the weekend

“I think mentally it was really good for me.” Saka said of the enforced break.

“Obviously it was really tough for me initially to find out the extent of my injury and that I was going to have surgery but once it was done and successful I was just focused on coming back stronger. The past five years I’ve been playing game after game so it was the first proper break I’ve had. It was really good for me. I got to do a lot of things that I don’t normally do.

The Gunners have reached this stage of the competition just twice in the last 15 years and host serial winners – and holders – Madrid who have lifted the European Cup 15 times in their history.

Arsenal, like other sides, have been hit with injuries to key players this season and Arteta has to name a side without centre-back Gabriel Magalhaes, who has been ruled out for the season alongside fellow defender Riccardo Calafiori who is out with a knee injury and Kai Havertz who had his season ended by a hamstring injury.

“There are things that we cannot control,” Arteta said. “What they (Real Madrid) are going to prepare, what they can do. We have to focus and our energy has to be on understanding our strengths, weakness and the direction that we want to play in the game.

“Obviously the intention of the team is very clear, we want to achieve on Tuesday and we are going to go for it.”

The Arsenal boss made five changes for the 1-1 draw with Everton at the weekend and rested key players Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli, Thomas Partey, Jurrien Timber and Bukayo Saka.

“At 8pm Tuesday night, (it is) 11 players and 60,000 people, (I am) really super convinced that we are ready to win and to beat them,” he said. “That’s the mindset that I want.

Today

(UCL Q’finals)

Arsenal v Real Madrid 

B’Munich v Inter

Wednesday 

Barcelona v Dortmund 

PSG v Aston Villa