'Major Blow' – Charles Watts Provides 'Worrying' Arsenal Update Ahead of Real Madrid Second Leg Encounter

Arsenal are gearing up for one of the most pivotal nights of their season as they make the trip to the Santiago Bernabéu for the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid. With a dominant 3-0 lead from the Emirates first leg thanks to two sublime free-kicks from Declan Rice, the Gunners are in a strong position. But they are acutely aware of the European experience of Los Blancos and know that the tie is far from over.

With the buildup to the meeting gathering pace, there are concerns regarding the availability of key midfielder Thomas Partey, who was substituted in Arsenal's recent 1-1 draw with Brentford. Partey had played commendably in the match, netting Arsenal's only goal with a calm finish after a swift counter-attack which was expertly worked out by David Raya and Declan Rice.

But his availability soon after scoring has raised alarm bells, particularly with such an important game just days away.

Charles Watts: Partey's Potential Absence Would Be a 'Major Blow' for Arsenal

Arsenal reporter Charles Watts has had his say regarding Partey's fitness, recommending that while there is no reason for major concern over his availability for the second leg against Real Madrid, his absence would be a massive blow to the team. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Watts observed:

It's early days, so far as I'm aware, but the substitution appears to have been precautionary, and there's not much worry regarding whether it'll affect his fitness for the Real Madrid match. If Thomas Partey was healthy, he'd definitely play, so his exclusion would be an enormous setback for Arsenal, especially given how good he played during the first leg.

He continued, "It seems like Partey suffered something a little worrying during the game, and they didn't want to take the chance."

Partey's potential absence would indeed be a big loss for Mikel Arteta. The 31-year-old has been a vital cog for Arsenal, particularly their dominant first-leg display against Real Madrid. In the aforementioned match, Partey had 94% passing accuracy (61/65), and a combined xG+xA of 0.56, and being an ever-present defender, with six recoveries, four duels won, and four defensive acts.