Arsenal vs. Kairat UEFA CL Clash: Why Declan Rice Will Not Feature for the Gunners
- Declan Rice misses Arsenal’s clash with Kairat, leaving a midfield gap for Arteta to fill
- Rice has been an influential player for Mikel Arteta's Arsenal since the former West Ham captain joined the Gunners
- With Rice sidelined, Arsenal’s mix of emerging talent and experienced stars will be relied upon to maintain their perfect Champions League record
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Arsenal are determined to end the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League league phase in style as they prepare for their final group match.
The Gunners have enjoyed a flawless European campaign so far, winning all seven of their matches, including standout 3-1 victories over Bayern Munich and Inter Milan.
Source: Getty Images
Mikel Arteta’s side will be aiming to extend that record to a perfect eight out of eight. Despite missing key midfield maestro Declan Rice, the expectation is that Arsenal will navigate their opponents with relative ease.
The visitors come into the game with just a single point in the competition this season, making them a heavy underdog.
Arsenal and Bayern Munich are currently the only clubs to have mathematically secured direct qualification to the round of 16, a reward for their consistent performances throughout the group stage.
The Gunners top their group with 21 points from seven games, while Bayern sit second with 18 points.
Why Rice misses the Kairat game
According to Sports Illustrated, Declan Rice will sit out Wednesday’s clash with Kairat due to a one-game suspension, a consequence of yellow card accumulation.
The 27-year-old made a brief 26-minute appearance off the bench in Arsenal’s 3-1 win over Inter Milan last week. However, with the result already secured, Rice received a caution in stoppage time for deliberately halting a potential Inter counter-attack.
Source: Getty Images
Earlier in the Champions League campaign, Rice had also picked up yellow cards in Arsenal’s victories against Athletic Club and Olympiacos, which ultimately contributed to the suspension. His absence leaves a noticeable gap in the midfield, but Arteta’s squad depth is expected to compensate.
Arteta names Arsenal starting lineup vs. Kairat
Meanwhile, for the Kairat fixture on Wednesday, January 28 at the Emirates, Mikel Arteta has confirmed his Arsenal starting XI for the home game against the minnows.
Arsenal starting XI: GK Arrizabalaga, White, Mosquera, Calafiori, Lewis-Skelly, Norgaard, Eze, Havertz, Madueke, Martinelli, Gyokeres.
Substitutes: Setford, Porter, Gabriel, Salmon, Hincapie, Zubimendi, Ibrahim, Odegaard, Bailey-Joseph, Saka, Trossard, Jesus.
UCL matchday 8 fixtures
In the meantime, according to the BBC, below are all Matchweek 8 Champions League fixtures, with all the matches scheduled to kick off at 20:00 GMT on Wednesday, January 28.
Ajax (Netherlands) vs Olympiacos (Greece)
Arsenal (England) vs Kairat (Kazakhstan)
Monaco (France) vs Juventus (Italy)
Athletic Bilbao (Spain) vs Sporting CP (Portugal)
Atlético Madrid (Spain) vs Bodø/Glimt (Norway)
Bayer Leverkusen (Germany) vs Villarreal (Spain)
Borussia Dortmund (Germany) vs Inter Milan (Italy)
Club Brugge (Belgium) vs Marseille (France)
Eintracht Frankfurt (Germany) vs Tottenham Hotspur (England)
Barcelona (Spain) vs Copenhagen (Denmark)
Liverpool (England) vs Qarabağ (Azerbaijan)
Manchester City (England) vs Galatasaray (Turkey)
Pafos (Cyprus) vs Slavia Prague (Czech Republic)
Paris Saint-Germain (France) vs Newcastle United (England)
PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands) vs Bayern Munich (Germany)
Union Saint-Gilloise (Belgium) vs Atalanta (Italy)
Benfica (Portugal) vs Real Madrid (Spain)
Napoli (Italy) vs Chelsea (England)
UCL matchday 8 preview
Earlier, YEN.com.gh analysed the final Champions League league phase matches and how they could shape the group standings.
With 18 games set to be played today and fans’ attention at fever pitch, while also highlighting the teams already guaranteed a place in the Round of 16.
Source: YEN.com.gh
