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Thomas Partey picked up a yellow card in the closing stages of Arsenal's 2-1 win at Real Madrid on Wednesday night and that means he will now miss the semi-final first leg against Paris Saint-Germain.
The Ghana international made a reckless decision to get involved in the aftermath of a foul by Antonio Rudiger and with former Gunners midfielder Dani Ceballos ending up on the floor, Partey went into the referee's book. He was one of four players one booking away from a semi-final suspension, and unfortunately for him, he has fallen to the ban.
Declan Rice fumed at Partey as the ref showed the card, and it's safe to say he shared the feelings of every Arsenal fan around the globe at that moment. The England international's reaction was completely justified as his teammate's suspension is a blow the Gunners did not need for their meeting with PSG.
Thomas Partey's suspension vs PSG is a blow Arsenal didn't need
Thomas Partey is enjoying his best season in an Arsenal shirt and was one of the best players over the two legs against Real Madrid. His brilliance will be much needed if the Gunners are to go all the way in the tournament, but he won't be able to have an impact in the first leg of the semi-final.
The Ghanaian would have been crucial for Mikel Arteta's side given his ability to control the midfield from the base so well. He has been one of the best passers in this season's Champions League with an accuracy of 91.28%.
As he has shown throughout his Arsenal career, he is so good at splitting defences and kickstarting attacking moves and has continued to do so this season. He has played 58 passes into the attacking third, 34 passes into the key play area and nine into the penalty box. Partey's ability to break open the opposition would have been so desired against a PSG side that has proven to be tough to get past since they fell to defeat at the Emirates in the early stages of the league phase.
If the Gunners were not in the situation they currently find themselves in regarding player availability, Partey would likely be forgiven for his yellow card escapades against Madrid, but his absence will prove to be a big blow.
Mikel Merino has moved up front since Kai Havertz's injury and while he has done an excellent job in the impromptu role, he will now likely have to move back into midfield in Partey's absence. Arsenal are already missing a number of key players and to have lost one of their star midfielders, even for just one game, may prove costly.
Partey's influence in the midfield will be very much missed against PSG and now that Arteta faces a potential need to shake things up once again, his booking is likely the source of a lot of stress for the Spaniard and his team. It has caused a lot more problems than some would have anticipated, considering the likelihood of Merino dropping into midfield and thus resulting in a lack of threat up front.
Arteta's side did so well to get past Real Madrid with ease, even while without some big names, but there is no doubt PSG may prove to be an even tougher test. Partey's silly decision to get himself booked and subsequent suspension for the semi-final first leg really is a blow Arsenal did not need.