Mikel Arteta has welcomed Gabriel Jesus’s response to being left out of the starting lineup against Bayern Munich in Tuesday’s Champions League quarter-final and praised the “toughness and character” the forward has shown in recent weeks.
Jesus was a surprise omission against Bayern but came off the bench to set up the Leandro Trossard equaliser that gave Arsenal hope heading into Wednesday’s second leg in Germany. The Brazilian said before the first leg that he could not “remember the last day I played football without pain”, and admitted his participation in this summer’s Copa América was in doubt as he considers further surgery on a knee problem that has plagued him since the last World Cup.
