Arsenal handed quadruple suspension boost for PSG Champions League clash as UEFA rules explained

Arsenal may have a number of players doubtful for the semi-final clash with PSG due to injury, but they can be thankful that UEFA rules mean they do not have players walking a suspension tightrope.

, with Takehiro Tomiyasu, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Magalhaes and Riccardo Calafiori ruled out through injury and Thomas Partey suspended for the first leg clash at the Emirates Stadium.

And there are also doubts over the fitness of the likes of Mikel Merino and Ben White, at London Colney yesterday, while .

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But while there was confusion over Thomas Partey's suspension for the clash, the may well be grateful for UEFA rules stopping as many as four other players from walking a suspension tightrope.

Partey picked up his third yellow card in the late on in the second leg of the quarter-final win over Real Madrid in the Santiago Bernabeu.

Under UEFA rules, : "All yellow cards expire on completion of the quarter-finals. They are not carried forward to the semi-finals."

That led to many thinking Partey would escape a ban, but because he picked up the third yellow before the conclusion of the quarter-final, it is not wiped out and he will therefore miss the first leg against PSG on Tuesday night.

That same rule, however, stops four players from walking a tightrope to potentially miss the second leg of the semi-final and even the final, should they get there.

Declan Rice was on two yellow cards heading into the second leg against Los Blancos and managed to avoid a third, getting visibly frustrated with Partey after his needless booking for a coming together with Dani Ceballos late on.

Gabriel Martinelli and Jurrien Timber were also walking tightropes in the quarter-final second leg, but came through unscathed. Goalkeeper David Raya did pick up a second booking for the tournament against Madrid in the second leg, but that was wiped out after the final whistle.

Then only way any Arsenal player will miss the second leg or the final now would be through injury or through a red card in either of the matches with PSG.