Arsenal will be without centre-back Gabriel Magalhaes for both legs of their Champions League quarter-final clash with Real Madrid, forcing Mikel Arteta to trust one of his fringe players
Arsenal defender Jakub Kiwior has been told to ‘step up’ as he prepares for his toughest test yet by facing Kylian Mbappe and Real Madrid. Kiwior, 25, has been brought in from the cold by Mikel Arteta, who needs a replacement Gabriel Magalhaes.
An ever-present under Arteta, Gabriel recently suffered hamstring injury which requires surgery and he won’t play again this season. Summer signing Riccardo Calafiori would’ve slotted in at left centre-back but the Italian is also injured.
Their absences forced Arteta to select Kiwior for Saturday’s deflating 1-1 draw away to Everton and the Poland international rewarded his boss with a performance which earned him Man of the Match. But he’ll face a much bigger test against Madrid, who travel to the Emirates on Tuesday for the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie.
That’s why ex-Arsenal defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos believes that Kiwior will need to up his game against the likes of Mbappe, Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior. “Jakub Kiwior is a very good player; he’s a player who is definitely capable of starting for Arsenal,” Sokratis exclusively told Ladbrokes.
“I know Mikel Arteta, and I know how much he knows about all of his players. What’s important here is that it’s clear Mikel believes in him. For Jakub, now is the time for him to step up.
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“Gabriel is someone who has done so much for the club, but for the next few weeks, it’s about Kiwior: now it’s his time for him to step up and show his talent and quality in this position.”
Kiwior signed for Arsenal in January 2023 from Italian side Spezia in a deal worth £20million. The left-footer was impressive in Serie A and had just represented Poland at the World Cup in Qatar, where they were knocked out thanks to Mbappe’s magnificent brace in the round of 16.
Due to Gabriel and William Saliba’s unbreakable centre-back partnership, Kiwior has had to contend with limited game-time in his two-and-a-half seasons in north London and he’s frequently been linked with a move away. Often deployed at left-back by Arteta, the 25-year-old hasn’t been given an opportunity on the big stage in his natural position.
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But Tuesday will likely see Kiwior trusted to partner Saliba at the heart of defence on the biggest night of Arsenal’s season so far. After Kiwior was subbed on to replace the injured Gabriel against Fulham last week, his first Premier League appearance since early December, Arteta made clear his faith in the Pole.
“The good thing with Jakub Kiwior is that he’s been very reliable,” the Gunners boss hailed. “Every time we need him, he’s always there, he’s available and he does his job.
“We ask him to play as a left centre-back, right centre-back, left full-back – he’s ready, he’s got a smile on his face.”
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