Ian Wright is not at all confident about £20m Arsenal player starting vs Real Madrid in the Champions League

Arsenal’s biggest game of this season will be against Real Madrid in the Champions League.

The Gunners’ chances of lifting the Premier League title this term are almost zero. Liverpool are nine points above at the moment with a game in hand, and that just feels like an impossible gap to overcome.

The Champions League now has to be the Gunners’ priority, and Mikel Arteta and his men have the opportunity to do something that no other Arsenal side has done before – win it.

However, Arsenal have suffered a big blow ahead of the first-leg against Real Madrid at the Emirates.

Gabriel Magalhaes has suffered an injury, and it is looking likely that the Brazil international will miss the games against the Galacticos.

Ian Wright delivers verdict on Jakub Kiwior playing for Arsenal vs Real Madrid
Gabriel has been one of Arsenal’s best players this season.

The Brazilian has formed a tremendous partnership at the back with William Saliba, and the two centre-halves are better than almost everyone else in world football.

Sadly, Gabriel appeared to suffer a hamstring injury in the first half against Fulham on Tuesday night, and the Brazilian could be sidelined for a little while.

Arsenal will need someone to replace him if he is out of the game against Real Madrid, and the obvious solution is Jakub Kiwior, who came on for Gabriel against Fulham.

The Pole, who joined Arsenal in a £20 million deal over two years ago (Sky Sports), has never been the first-choice, but he could get an opportunity soon.

But, Ian Wright is not convinced.

The Arsenal legend said on Mathday Live on Premier League Productions: “Without Gabi Magalhaes in that game, you’re looking at Kiwior – even today [against Fulham], there’s a couple of positional moves that you just cannot afford to do when you play against Real Madrid.

“They are looking for any chink in the armour to exploit, so you need people who are absolutely bang on it, to be able to keep Real Madrid to no goals at home.

“If Gabi Magalhaes was there, I would feel more confident about that.”

Other Arsenal players who could replace Gabriel Magalhaes
Kiwior has produced a few excellent performances for Arsenal in the past, but playing against Real Madrid in the Champions League is a whole new level.

The Pole will surely love to prove his worth, but Arteta does have a few other options.

One of them would be to bring in someone like Ben White or Riccardo Calafiori in the heart of the defence. Both of them can play there, but they’re currently injured, as is Jurrien Timber.

Declan Rice could also be pushed back to a centre-back role alongside Saliba, which would work, but Arsenal will lose his quality in the middle of the park.

It remains to be seen which option Arteta will go with.