Gabriel Martinelli will be walking the disciplinary tight-rope if he is to feature for Arsenal in the Europa League round of 16 second leg clash against Sporting CP on Thursday night.
With potentially a near fully fit first-team squad to choose from, and with a Premier League fixture at home to Crystal Palace three days later to also take into consideration, Gunners manager Mikel Arteta is expected to rotate his side just like he did in the first-leg last week.
Among the Arsenal senior players in contention to start at the Emirates Stadium is Gabriel Martinelli. Whether that be in his usual position from the left-hand side of the attack or leading the line - as was the case in Lisbon - remains to be seen, although he could drop out of the team altogether.
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The Brazil international has started four of the Gunners' seven fixtures in the Europa League this season and has been one of the first names on Arteta's teamsheet in recent weeks as he's responded to being rested to the bench for the 4-2 win over Aston Villa with five goals in his last six appearances.
Having said that, taking the 21-year-old's disciplinary record into account, it might tempt Arteta to leave the forward out of a starting line-up across any competition for only the sixth time this season just to protect him from a possible suspension should the north London outfit overcome Sporting CP.
As confirmed by the UEFA in their 'Regulations of the UEFA Europa League', players and team officials are suspended for the next competition match after three cautions, which did not result in a red card, as well as following any subsequent odd-numbered caution (fifth, seventh, ninth, etc.);
So because Martinelli picked up a booking at the Jose Alvalade Stadium, if he is shown a yellow card on Thursday then he will miss Arsenal's potential quarter-final first-leg.
The other Arsenal player in immediate danger of being handed a suspension is Kieran Tierney as his yellow cards in the Europa League came in the double-header against PSV Eindhoven back in October, so he too must watch his step if he does return to the starting line-up against Sporting CP.
Interestingly, the Scotland international did start all six group games - completing the full 90 minutes on three occasions - and scoring the winner against FC Zurich on matchday six that ultimately ensured the Gunners avoided a play-off knockout round tie, but missed the first-leg through illness.
The Arsenal players on one yellow card across the squad are Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Magalhaes, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Martin Odegaard, Thomas Partey, Bukayo Saka and Matt Turner. If any are booked against Sporting CP on Thursday, then they will be a suspension risk going into the quarter-final first-leg - if the club progress.
Granit Xhaka has already served a suspension after being booked three times in the group phase and it's worth pointing out that all yellow cards expire on completion of the quarter-finals and are not carried forward to the semi-finals.
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