Arsenal’s Champions League campaign has been fraught with suspension anxiety, but that storm is set to break in the semi-finals.
The Gunners have the second-most bookings of any team still in the tournament at 22, and will be without midfielder Thomas Partey for their semi-final first leg against Paris Saint-Germain.
But while they entered the semi-finals with Declan Rice, Jurrien Timber, and Gabriel Martinelli all one booking away from a suspension, that is no longer a concern. Timber and Raheem Sterling both come into the match with three bookings, but they will not have to miss the second-leg should they be booked on Tuesday night.
UEFA rules stipulate that a player should face a one-match suspension after collecting three bookings in any competition, and subsequently for every odd-numbered card (bookings number five, seven, nine, etc).
That count, however, resets after the quarter-final stage, meaning that the Gunners’ will all enter the match with a clean slate.
As such, Rice and Martinelli, who both have two bookings in the tournament, will not be suspended should they pick up a third on Tuesday night.
The same is true of PSG, where Nuno Mendes and Marquinhos have been shown the yellow card three times.
Red card suspensions are unchanged in the semi-final, though, with offenders missing one match.
PSG’s Marquinhos had fallen foul of the three-booking rule in the quarter-finals, missing the first leg against Aston Villa, but returned for the second, a 3-2 loss at Villa Park.
Any suspension at this stage of the tournament would prove hugely damaging to Arsenal’s hopes of bringing a first Champions League title back to the Emirates, and they will hope to have a full-strength squad for next week’s trip to the Parc des Princes.
Tuesday 8.30pm GMT, Amazon Prime
Venue: Emirates Stadium
