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Arsenal fans have reacted with surprise to the club naming right-back Cedric Soares in their squad for this season's UEFA Champions League.
Soares, 32, was expected to leave the Emirates Stadium this summer after falling to the bottom of the pecking order in his position. The Gunners have Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu to call upon at right-back, while Thomas Partey and Jakub Kiwior have also operated there this season.
As a result, Soares' inclusion in their 25-man Champions League roster has shocked several fans, who took to X (formerly Twitter) to voice their frustration. One Arsenal supporter tweeted:
"Cedric? Our dream is over"
Another wrote:
"Cedric included in 2023??? This club is after my life 😭😭😭😭"
Here are some more reactions from fans:
Some fans have noted, however, that Soares' inclusion could be on account of Jurrien Timber's long-term injury. The Dutchman injured an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right leg during Arsenal's first Premier League match of the season, a 2-1 win over Nottingham Forest.
Timber also played as a full-back during pre-season, and Soares' ability to operate on either flank could be useful for the Gunners.
Here is their complete 25-man squad for their first Champions League campaign since the 2016-17 season:-
Goalkeepers: Aaron Ramsdale, David Raya, James Hillson.
Defenders: Cedric Soares, Lino Sousa, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Ben White, Gabriel Magalhaes, Jakub Kiwior, William Saliba.
Midfielders: Mohamed Elneny, Jorginho, Thomas Partey, Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz, Fabio Vieira, Emile Smith Rowe.
Forwards: Leandro Trossard, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Eddie Nketiah, Reiss Nelson, Gabriel Jesus.
Mikel Arteta's side have been drawn with Sevilla, PSV Eindhoven and RC Lens in Group B of this season's Champions League.
Cedric Soares is yet to feature in an official match for Arsenal this season
As mentioned earlier, Cedric Soares was expected to move out of the Emirates this summer. However, a move didn't transpire and he is still with Arsenal on a contract that expires next summer.
Soares has not played a single minute for the Gunners in the Premier League this season. He did not feature in the FA Community Shield either, while also not traveling with the team for its pre-season tour in the United States.
The Portuguese right-back appeared in just two league games for his current club last term, receiving just 28 minutes of action. He was shipped out to Fulham on loan in January for the second half of the 2022-23 campaign, but failed to make an impression there, starting just two Premier League matches.
It meant Soares played a meager 405 minutes last season across 12 appearances in all competitions for two different clubs.
Overall, he has recorded two goals and five assists in 59 matches since joining Arsenal permanently in the summer of 2020 after half a season on loan.
