Davide Ancelotti previews Arsenal fixture and addresses Tiago Santos

Ahead of Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League fixture against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, LOSC manager Davide Ancelotti confirmed his squad availability and addressed the club’s recent statement regarding injured defender Tiago Santos, Foot Mercato reported.

Squad Availability and Champions League Roster Rules

Ancelotti enters the European fixture with nearly his entire squad available, with the exception of long-term absentees. “We have all the players, except the injured ones, Tiago Santos, Hamza [Igamane] and Ethan [Mbappé], available in the group,” Ancelotti said in remarks reported by Foot Mercato. The Italian coach noted that UEFA tournament regulations permit a 23-player matchday roster compared to the 21-player limit in Ligue 1. This numerical difference forces difficult decisions, leaving winger Basar Önal out of the squad for Saturday’s domestic fixture against Le Havre before returning to the group for the trip to London.

Human Support for Tiago Santos

The pre-match press conference also provided an opportunity for the LOSC boss to discuss Tiago Santos following an official club statement released on Monday. “We are here to support Tiago. He is away from the group but he is not forgotten. I am aligned with what is written in the club’s statement. The most important thing is that we are going to stay close to him on a human level,” Ancelotti explained to reporters, emphasizing the club’s commitment to guiding the player through a challenging period.

Arsenal Preparations and Opponent Perspective

On the opposing bench, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta spoke to reporters about the upcoming contest, praising the tactical organization of the French side. Eurosport reported that Arteta highlighted the challenge posed by the Ligue 1 runners-up, stating, “Tomorrow, we are going to have a really tough opponent in front of us. They are extremely well coached. What Davide has achieved is, I think, remarkable.” Arteta also confirmed that Arsenal will be without defenders Piero Hincapie and midfielder Martin Zubimendi due to ankle injuries sustained during post-match recovery work, while French central defender William Saliba continues his rehabilitation following a back injury.

Arteta also spoke about 40-year-old former France forward Olivier Giroud, who returns to the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday after playing for the club between the summer of 2012 and January 2018. “I remember his arrival, he had just won Ligue 1 with Montpellier. He arrived here and had a considerable impact on the team. He had a completely different profile to the ones we were used to. And what a career he has had! He thoroughly deserved it too,” Arteta said in his pre-match conference. When a journalist compared Giroud to current Arsenal forward Kai Havertz as “underestimated” players, Arteta responded, “By us, certainly not, nor by Arsène [Wenger] in this specific case. For the rest, I don’t know.” Arteta added that Giroud was extremely intelligent, difficult for opponents to contain, a huge threat in the penalty box, very clever, excellent at combining with other players, and possessed a phenomenal work rate. Giroud could start Tuesday’s match on the bench in favor of Japanese striker Ayase Ueda, who earned a starting spot for the current Ligue 1 second-place side.

Supporter Travel Logistics in London

For traveling supporters, the club issued detailed logistical instructions regarding ticket collection and matchday transit. Fans were instructed to collect their match tickets between 13:00 and 16:00 local time at Mabel’s Tavern on Mabledon Place upon presentation of a valid voucher and identification. No duplicate tickets will be issued in case of loss, and only the voucher holder is authorized to collect the ticket. Fans arriving in London after 16:00 must report from 18:00 local time at Gate K of the Emirates Stadium, the gate dedicated to LOSC supporters, with stadium access available until the 15th minute of the match. Authorities advised fans to stay near the bars around St. Pancras station to reach King’s Cross station from 16:45 for a paid metro ride, stopping at Highbury & Islington station, the mandatory local-authority gathering point for Lillois supporters to walk together to the stadium at 17:30 local time. The visitors’ area features no lockers, meaning unauthorized items must be left in vehicles, and a refreshment stand accepting bank cards only will be available inside. The club reserves the right to refuse stadium entry to anyone who cannot prove they support Lille or fails to display appropriate behavior.