There is a widespread view at Arsenal, which was articulated by Bukayo Saka on Monday, that the winger’s three months on the sidelines could prove a blessing in disguise long-term.
Saka’s hamstring injury was surely the biggest single factor in the collapse of Arsenal’s chances in three competitions since the turn of the year, but he has returned to action feeling mentally “refreshed”, while his body has also had a chance to recover from the rigours of playing so many high-intensity matches over the previous five seasons.
Mikel Arteta believes Saka has the rare durability of the kind of top player who rarely succumbs to injury, such as Lionel Messi, but there have been periods over the last couple of years where it has felt like the 23-year-old has been limping out of games on an alarmingly regular basis.
The question now is whether a rejuvenated Saka can give Arsenal an edge in the only competition where their chances of silverware remain alive, the Champions League, starting with Tuesday’s quarter-final first leg at home to Real Madrid.
Saka is set to make his first start since December against the holders and the game feels like an enormous opportunity for him to demonstrate that he is an even better place post-injury, particularly with Real facing a dilemma at left-back.
Ferland Mendy has been sidelined since the last-16 decider against Atletico Madrid on March 12 with a hamstring problem of his own, while his possible replacement David Alaba, 32, has barely played this season and never at left-back. Fran Garcia is also in contention but has only started once in the Champions League this term.
If Saka can settle quickly, he should be confident of having an individual edge over whoever Carlo Ancelotti picks on his side, although it is, of course, Real’s collective aura and history in this competition that will be Arsenal’s biggest obstacle in the tie.
Saka has spoken about wanting to emulate Thierry Henry, who scored the only goal in a 1-0 Arsenal win the last time these sides met in the last-16 in 2006, but also says he wants to write his “own story”.
There is certainly a sense that this could be a defining night for Arsenal’s star-boy and a chance to establish himself among the best forward players on the planet, in the same bracket as Real’s Vinicius Junior, who will operate on the same side on the pitch.
Declan Rice did not hesitate last week in describing his team-mate as among the “top three best right wingers” in the world – presumably jostling with Mohamed Salah, Yamine Lamal and perhaps another Real player, Rodrygo – and Saka said himself that he would never think of Vinicius or even Kylian Mbappe as “a level above” him.
Saka, though, has not really had the opportunities to prove it yet, nor to put himself in contention for the Ballon d’Or, an aim he spoke about openly on Monday.
Whereas Vinicius has already played in and won two Champions League finals, Saka yesterday acknowledged that Real’s visit was the biggest game “in an Arsenal shirt” to date.
His brilliance at club level has so far been restricted to domestic football and two Champions League knockout ties last term.
While Arsenal looked like a side still getting used to their return to the Champions League over the course of last season, Saka immediately found his level.
He was devastating in the group stage, scoring in all three home group games, and also found the net in the last-16 first leg against Bayern Munich.
He was similarly impactful this term, scoring four times in the initial phase as Arteta’s side made light work of the new format before cruising past hapless PSV Eindhoven in the last-16 without him.
There is little doubt that Saka is a big-game player, who rises to the most significant occasions and seems to grow with the pressure. That has been obvious in his performances at major tournaments for England and in Arsenal’s crunch meetings with Manchester City and Liverpool in the Premier League.
The tie with Real offers him the opportunity to prove his big-game credentials on the biggest stage of all.
Given Real’s status in the competition, their ability to conjure victories from absent performances, it will take something special to break the spell and eliminate them over two legs.
If Saka can be the provider of that magic for Arsenal, it would potentially change his standing in Europe, putting him on a level with Mbappe and Vinicius in everyone’s thinking.
