Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta updated Jurrien Timber’s injury situation at a pre-Champions League final press conference on the eve of the showpiece: the right-back, who has been one of the season’s standouts, has been sidelined since a groin problem in March, and whether he can make Saturday’s final still hinges on whether he can complete full training in the coming days.
Injury timeline and training rhythm
Timber was initially assessed as facing only a short spell out, but after setbacks he has been off the matchday squad for more than two months. Arteta admitted the player could even miss the rest of the season; at the same time, Ben White is also certain to be out until the summer, draining Arsenal’s depth on the right flank at the same time.
The key message at the briefing was who gets back into the team’s rhythm first. Arteta made clear that Merino will train with the full squad the next day; Timber “hopes to do the same in the next few days,” but for now remains “a small step behind” Merino. On the recovery chain, that means medical clearance first, then return to competitive training, and only then talk of a final squad place—Timber is still stuck before the full-training threshold.
The technical cost of two months out
Stephen Smith, chief executive of performance analytics firm Kitman Labs, explained to the media that if a player is still not back in on-pitch training after roughly two months out, the loss of match sharpness significantly raises the difficulty of a comeback. “It’s not that it’s impossible—he’s not just sitting at home; the club will be doing a huge amount of individual work,” Smith said. “But it is harder; and at the final stage, every minute counts.”
For a full-back like Timber, who relies on lateral bursts, sharp stops and changes of direction, and repeated shuttles, the groin muscles drive not only acceleration but also defensive positioning and crossing power. Long spells away from 11-a-side combat erode decision speed and centre of gravity in tight duels first, and pure fitness second—that is the underlying meaning of Arteta’s “still a step behind.”
Merino: return-to-training signal and Champions League data
Merino has been named to join tomorrow’s team training, a tangible boost for Arsenal’s midfield rotation. In-house database figures show Merino has made seven Champions League appearances this season, all as a substitute, for 518 minutes in total, with a rating of 6.96, two goals, seven shots with four on target, nine key passes, a 77% pass completion rate and three yellow cards. The numbers paint the picture of a plug-and-play bench option who can both progress the ball and push forward — if he makes the final squad and improves his chances of starting, the team gains a reliable option for second-phase attacks through the middle and runs into the box around the edge of the area.
Right-flank void and final squad selection
Ben White and Jurriën Timber are both sidelined, forcing Arteta to recalculate his right-side setup during final week: whether to stick with the existing rotation or, with the medical team’s green light, bring Timber back in a “limited minutes” role will directly affect defensive width and the quality of overlapping runs in the attacking third. Smith also noted that the personnel shortage may alter the club’s risk assessment on Timber — “how to use him over the final weeks” will become a shared chess match between the coaching staff and the medical team.
From Arsenal’s run in the competition this season, the Gunners have been involved in several tight scorelines, including 1-1, 1-0 and a 5-4 thriller, showing they have not been cruising through the knockout stages and are highly sensitive to the completeness of their wide defensive coverage. If Timber is missing in the final, opponents will find it easier to exploit gaps in the half-spaces.
Mindset and schedule after the Premier League title
At the same press conference, Arteta also spoke about the freshly secured Premier League title. He said hearing the word “champions” was still “unbelievable,” especially given the journey the team has been on, the manner of the triumph, and the many people who had waited years to finally see the goal achieved. The league title is in the bag, but the Champions League final remains on a separate timeline — whether Timber can go from individual training to full team sessions within 48 to 72 hours will determine whether the right flank gets a “full functional return” or an “emergency patch.”
Key takeaway
Based on the press conference wording and outside sports science views, Timber has not been ruled out of the final, but the window is razor-thin: Merino already has a full training timeline in place, while Timber is still missing that step. If he cannot rejoin the squad within the next two or three days, the more realistic plan would be to keep him on the bench as tactical insurance rather than throwing him into the starting lineup. For Arsenal, winning the Premier League has secured the floor of their season; the Champions League final will test whether medical recovery, positional rotation and risk management can all be cleared in the same week.
