Why isn’t Viktor Gyökeres playing for Arsenal in the Champions League against Bayern?

The Emirates Stadium will be preparing a warm welcome for a former London man who makes his return back in the English capital: Harry Kane. The ex-Spurs striker left the north side of London for a taste of European football with Bayern Munich, who have made the short journey over from Germany in Europe’s elite competition.

And Arsenal will have to hope his return is not a happy one without their very own marksman: Viktor Gyökeres. The Swedish forward was ruled out of action for the game tonight by Mikel Arteta in the pre-game press conference, a hamstring issue keeping him out for three games since scoring in a win over Burnley at the start of the month.

While the signs looked positive for Gyökeres to make his return last weekend when Arsenal played Kane’s former team, the medical staff did not give him the green light and he also failed to make training in the days following the statement Premier League win over their city rivals. “Really good,” Arteta said when asked about his recovery. “In the next few days, [he’s] going to have a repeat scan to see how everything is and where we can push for the weekend.”

So far this season, Gyökeres, signed last summer from Sporting CP for around $70 million, has scored 6 goals in 15 games in all competitions.

Kai Havertz is another player also missing for Arsenal. The German has not featured for the side since the win at Manchester United on the opening weekend of the season following surgery on a knee problem. However, Arteta also said that he return was near.

As for their opponents, Bayern will be without Luis Díaz, who is suspended following a red card in his previous Champions League game, against current holders, PSG. Jamal Musiala and Alphonso Davies make up the list of unavailable players for manager Vincent Kompany.

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Arsenal host Bayern Munich at the Emirates Stadium today, Wednesday 26 November, at 3pm ET.

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