Burkina Faso
Indonesia
Lithuania
Montenegro
Nigeria
North Macedonia
United Arab Emirates

Arsenalvs.Bayern

sportsmole.co.uk, 8 April 2024, 16:59
Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus has admitted that he cannot remember the last time he played a football match without experiencing some sort of pain.

The Brazil international has been plagued by a handful of knee injuries since joining the Gunners from Manchester City in 2022, firstly sustaining a serious issue while representing his country at the World Cup.

Jesus spent a few months on the sidelines following surgery, but he was able to contribute to the closing stages of the 2022-23 season, as Mikel Arteta's side ended their seven-year Champions League exile.

After undergoing another small knee procedure in the summer, Jesus took the Champions League by storm, scoring in each of Arsenal's four group games while also laying on two assists to help the Gunners progress in first place.

However, the 27-year-old has since had to battle back from a hamstring injury and another knee concern, and thanks in no small part to his fitness concerns, he has only managed four Premier League goals in the current campaign.

Jesus "cannot complain" despite constant pain

Jesus joined Arteta for media duties ahead of Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final first leg against Bayern Munich at the Emirates, during which he conceded that he has been playing through physical discomfort for as long as he can remember.

When asked if his knee was holding up OK, Jesus replied: "I hope so. Sometimes I feel it but I don't remember the last day I played football without pain. I cannot complain.

"I'm just trying to recover in a good way to be ready for the next game. Then that's it. Mentally I try to be strong in my mind, that's it. Normally I don't talk about this, I don't want to talk about what's going wrong.

"After the World Cup I had that injury in my knee and I recovered so well but had a setback after in the pre-season. Then I had to go and open [it up] again and do a small [operation].

"Then after I came back and well I played three games in a row, 90 minutes, and then again the knee. Then after in training I had a kick on my knee. This kind of thing, people don't know this.

"I'm just trying to get fit and help Arsenal as much as I can. Unfortunately I'm having some problems this season. I hope next season I don't have it.

Arsenal boast fully-fit squad in pre-Bayern training

Before Jesus and Arteta faced the press, the Gunners warmed up for their visit of Bayern on the London Colney training pitches, and every single member of the senior team was present in full training.

As such, ACL victim Jurrien Timber - now approaching the eight-month mark since his devastating injury - was involved, but the Dutchman is still building up his match fitness and will not be considered for selection just yet.

Winger Bukayo Saka admitted that he was "struggling" after coming off in the second half of Saturday's victory over Brighton & Hove Albion, but the 22-year-old practised as normal on Monday.

Meanwhile, Bayern received a quintuple injury boost ahead of their trip to North London, as five players who missed their 3-2 Bundesliga loss to Heidenheim at the weekend took part in training.

Show more

Top News

20 April 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Bidding for their first Premier League double over Tottenham Hotspur in the 21st century, Nottingham Forest head to North London for an Easter Monday date with the Lilywhites. 20 April 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool are reported to hold interest in signing teenage wonderkid Jeremy Monga from Leicester City, with the club keen to secure their future in a post-Mohamed Salah world. 20 April 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Paris Saint-Germain will continue in their pursuit of an unbeaten Ligue 1 season when they travel to the Stade de la Beaujoire to face Nantes on Tuesday night. 20 April 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United are reported to be willing to spend in the region of £115m for the signature of RB Leipzig attacker Xavi Simons. 20 April 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool's 1-0 victory against Leicester City on Sunday afternoon means they need just one more win to be crowned Premier League champions. 20 April 2025 talksport.com Leicester have finally been put out of their misery with their relegation from the Premier League being confirmed after defeat to Liverpool. 20 April 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Two La Liga teams in impressive form will lock horns at Mestalla for an intriguing match on Tuesday evening, with Valencia welcoming Espanyol. 20 April 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta has provided a positive update on the fitness of Bukayo Saka following Sunday's Premier League clash with Ipswich Town at Portman Road. 20 April 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has insisted that the manner of their 2-1 victory over Fulham on Sunday afternoon "does not change the season". 20 April 2025 talksport.com Former Liverpool forward Fernando Morientes revealed he was 'scared to death' after a spending five days in hospital. 20 April 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Real Madrid are reportedly interested in signing Athletic Bilbao defender Dani Vivian this summer. 20 April 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City will be aiming to make it four wins from five in the Premier League when they welcome Aston Villa to the Etihad on Tuesday night. 20 April 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Enzo Maresca's Chelsea climbed into the Premier League's Champions League spots when they beat derby rivals Fulham 2-1 at Craven Cottage on Sunday afternoon. 20 April 2025 talksport.com The Premier League is back after a big week of European action, and talkSPORT are here to keep you up to date. 20 April 2025 talksport.com Kevin De Bruyne has opened up on his disbelief at Manchester City failing to offer him a new deal. 20 April 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Pep Guardiola has the option to make multiple changes to his Manchester City side when they welcome Aston Villa to the Etihad in the Premier League on Tuesday. 20 April 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Marcus Rashford could return to the starting lineup when Aston Villa make the trip to his hometown to face Manchester City in the Premier League on Tuesday. 20 April 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City and Aston Villa go head-to-head at the Etihad in the Premier League on Tuesday night in a crucial encounter in the race for Champions League qualification. 20 April 2025 talksport.com Leif Davis has been slammed for a horror challenge on Bukayo Saka that sent Ipswich Town down to ten men. 20 April 2025 talksport.com Liverpool legend Mark Lawrenson has called for the club to sign a new left-back ahead of a replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold. 20 April 2025 talksport.com Sir Jim Ratcliffe was once again public enemy number one in the eyes of Manchester United fans ahead of their clash with Wolves. 20 April 2025 talksport.com The Premier League is back after a big week of European action, and talkSPORT are here to keep you up to date. 20 April 2025 talksport.com The Premier League is back after a big week of European action, and talkSPORT are here to keep you up to date. 20 April 2025 talksport.com Niclas Fullkrug ripped into his West Ham teammates following their draw with Southampton, declaring: "We were s***". 20 April 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has handed a first-team debut to Tyler Fredricson, as the Red Devils welcome Wolverhampton Wanderers to Old Trafford in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon. 20 April 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Fulham and Chelsea have announced their starting lineups for Sunday's West London derby at Craven Cottage. 20 April 2025 talksport.com Vincent Kompany's Championship glory at Burnley remains a high-point in his managerial career - and he was quick to remind one reporter. 20 April 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Brazil are reportedly 'insisting' on appointing Carlo Ancelotti as their new head coach, with the national team said to be working on a deal which would see the Italian arrive before the Club World Cup. 20 April 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Barcelona forward Robert Lewandowski is reportedly facing a minimum of three weeks on the sidelines with the hamstring injury that he picked up during Saturday's La Liga clash with Celta Vigo. 20 April 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Barcelona will have to work around the absence of leading goalscorer Robert Lewandowski for Tuesday's La Liga clash with Mallorca.