Arsenal have received a significant triple fitness boost ahead of their Champions League round-of-16 first-leg encounter against Bayer Leverkusen. Key defensive and attacking figures were spotted during the club's final training session before they departed for Germany. While Mikel Arteta still faces some notable absences, the return of this influential trio strengthens the Gunners' hand for a crucial European away leg.

Mansfield Town have taken a cheeky swipe at Arsenal defender Riccardo Calafiori following their valiant defeat in the FA Cup fifth round. The Stags pushed their Premier League opponents all the way at the One Call Stadium before ultimately falling to a narrow 2-1 loss. The League One club then targeted the Italian international on social media, poking fun at his distinctive running style before insisting the post was "banter".

Arsenal fan favourite Riccardo Calafiori has opened up about his transition to life in the Premier League, identifying one particular aspect of London that he finds hard to stomach. The Italian defender, who has become a key figure in Mikel Arteta’s defensive unit, admits that the capital's notorious congestion and the local driving culture have fundamentally altered his daily routine since moving from Serie A.

Arsenal defender Riccardo Calafiori has opened up about his deep desire to return to his boyhood club Roma. The 23-year-old Italy international reflected on his sudden departure during Jose Mourinho's tenure following a heavy defeat. Despite his current focus on the Premier League, Calafiori admits he has unfinished business and dreams of celebrating a goal in front of the Curva Sud fans.

Mikel Arteta has suggested that Arsenal could make a pioneering change to their pre-match routine as a result of a string of injuries in the build-up to matches. Sunday marked the fifth occasion this season that a Gunners player has encountered a problem just minutes before kick-off, as Riccardo Calafiori pulled out of the starting line-up.

Mikel Arteta has confirmed the reason behind Martin Odegaard's absence from the matchday squad for Arsenal's FA Cup win over Wigan on Sunday. The Gunners eased past the Latics on home turf to breeze into the next round of the competition but Odegaard sat out the resounding home victory as the Norwegian's stop-start season continues.