Daily Mirror

HE KEEPS FAITH IN OSPINA

- BY JOHN CROSS

ARSENE WENGER has surprised his Arsenal players by picking David Ospina to start against Atletico Madrid.

Gunners No.1 keeper Petr Cech missed Sunday’s win over West Ham with a slight hip injury.

But the players believed that would then give him the perfect opportunit­y to start against Atletico.

But Arsenal manager Wenger, despite knowing this will be his last European semi-final in charge of the club, has stuck to picking Ospina (below) even though the Colombian is No.2. Cech is vastly experience­d and the club’s only Champions League winner and his European experience could have been crucial with Arsenal choosing a full strength team in every other respect. But Wenger promised Ospina games in Europe and has stuck to his word even though it must be seen as a bizarre gamble not to play your best players with his 22-year reign coming to an end.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United Kingdom