It was another day of celebration for Arsenal as the 2025–26 Premier League season drew to a close, with the only negative coming in the shape of Noni Madueke’s injury scare.
The trophy lift Gunners supporters have waited 22 years for, one they’ve envisaged the intricacies of since Manchester City could no longer operate as a usurper, arrived at Selhurst Park. Arsenal were crowned champions on Tuesday night, sparking jubilant scenes in north London until the early hours of Wednesday morning.
And the sun beamed down for them on a glorious Public Holiday weekend in the United Kingdom. Their 2–1 victory at Crystal Palace mattered little. They just wanted to lap up the glee of their long-awaited triumph and ensure those involved escaped unscathed.
Unfortunately, though, the champions endured a fright south of the river.
Noni Madueke Suffers Injury Scare Ahead of Champions League Final
Mikel Arteta was able to rotate handily less than a week out from the Champions League final, where Paris Saint-Germain await in Budapest. Those likely to start in the Hungarian capital were wisely offered respite, with Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice unused substitutes, and William Saliba not even making the matchday squad.
Saka is set for a 90-minute outing in the final, but Madueke has been called upon to provide mitigation after joining from Chelsea last summer. The winger, called up to England’s World Cup squad by Thomas Tuchel, hasn’t offered too much by way of final third contributions, scoring just his second Premier League goal of the season on Sunday. Still, he’s a direct runner who can inject pace into Arsenal’s attacks.
Madueke will be useful off the bench against the Parisians, but his status for the final has been thrust into doubt after he was forced off late on at Selhurst Park with an apparent niggle. The winger grasped the back of his left leg when speaking to the physio on-field, and looked in some discomfort.
While Arteta didn’t provide an update on Madueke’s injury post-match, The Standard reported that the winger was moving freely during their title celebrations. There were no signs of a limp, which is encouraging.
Will Jurriën Timber Be Ready for Champions League Final?
Mikel Merino’s recovery from foot surgery means just a pair of right backs occupy Arsenal’s injury list.
The knee injury Ben White sustained at West Ham United earlier this month dashed his World Cup hopes, while Jurriën Timber has been out of action since March with a groin issue.
Arteta has been hopeful that the Dutchman would be fit to play some part in next week’s final, but his absence from the matchday squad on Sunday suggests Timber surely won’t be ready to get head-to-head against one of the world’s most in-form players. Instead, Cristhian Mosquera will likely line up against Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
Timber’s absence would be a significant blow for Arsenal, even if Mosquera has offered impressive security when called upon during his first season with the club.
The young defender hasn’t duelled anyone quite like ’Kvaradona’ in this sort of mood.
