Arsenal players are eager to lead the club into their first Champions League semi-final in 15 years when they play against Bayern Munich in in tonight's quarter-final first leg.
However, two members of Mikel Arteta’s squad are at risk of suspension if they receive a yellow card against the German team this evening, which would mean missing the second leg.
While high-flying Arsenal are expected to start the tie as heavy favorites against Thomas Tuchel’s underperforming Bayern, the absence of key players in the return game would certainly hurt their chances of reaching the last four.
Let’s see which Arsenal players are at risk of missing next week’s match due to a yellow card.
Who is at risk of a yellow card suspension in the Champions League for Arsenal?
Kai Havertz and Declan Rice will miss the second leg if they pick up a yellow card tonight.
Champions League rules state that a player will serve a one match ban if they receive more than two yellow cards before the end of the Champions League quarter-final second leg.
Havertz received his two bookings in the clashes against Porto in the Round of 16, while Rice was cautioned in the home group stage game against Sevilla and the away leg against Porto.
If Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies or Leon Goretzka get a yellow card this evening, they would also miss the second leg in Germany next Wednesday (April 17).
Yellow cards have been a problem for Havertz this season, despite his impressive first season in north London The former Chelsea star has accumulated 11 bookings in all competitions this season, with Arteta expressing surprise at the German’s poor disciplinary record..
‘Yes. If it was another player [with that record], maybe not, but with him, yes,’ Arteta said. ‘I will have to go back and review those yellow cards, but if they are warranted, then we need to improve because we don’t want our players to have that many, considering we have the best disciplinary record in the league. It’s something to work on.’
Rice’s absence would be a massive setback for Arsenal next week (Picture: Getty)
Havertz has only missed one game for Arsenal this season – when he was suspended for accumulating five yellow cards – and Arsenal suffered a surprising 2-0 defeat at home to West Ham in the Premier League.
When do yellow cards reset in the Champions League?
Yellow cards will be cleared after the quarter-finals are finished.
This means that players who receive one yellow card in each of the two semi-final legs will not have to miss the final due to suspension, unless they are shown a red card in the second leg.
The rule was updated to ensure that players wouldn't miss the final game because they got too many yellow cards.
They should behave well…
The rule change was introduced to make sure that players did not miss out on playing in the final due to yellow card accumulation.
