Arsenal have been dealt a selection headache for their crunch Champions League semi-final showdown against Paris Saint-Germain.
Gunners boss Mikel Arteta is already navigating an injury crisis and will now be missing Thomas Partey through suspension as well.
Rice’s yellow card that would have seen him banned was overturned by VARGettyThe north Londoners will have to make do without the midfielder for the first-leg with PSG due to an accumulation of yellow cards.
The Ghanaian picked up his third Champions League booking in the quarter-final second leg win over Real Madrid.
As a result, Partey will have to serve a one-match ban before returning for the trip to the Parc des Princes next month.
When are Champions League yellow cards wiped?
All four teams in the competition’s semi-finals – Arsenal, PSG, Barcelona, and Inter Milan – can breathe a little bit easier.
That is because any players walking suspension tightropes have had their disciplinary record scrubbed.
A red card is now the only way in which stars can be suspended for the final, even if they are cautioned in both legs of a semi-final tie.
According to UEFA’s official rulebook, Article 52.04 states: “Exceptionally, all yellow cards and pending yellow-card suspensions expire on completion of the play-offs.
“They are not carried forward to the group stage. In addition, all yellow cards expire on completion of the quarter-finals.
“They are not carried forward to the semi-finals.”
This means that, had Partey avoided being cautioned against Madrid, he would have been available to play PSG in the first-leg.
Partey is suspended after his third cautionGetty Arsenal’s No.5 was given a telling off by his teammates for the late card against MadridAFPThe 31-year-old shoved former Arsenal loanee Dani Ceballos to the turf in the 85th minute at the Bernabeu.
He becomes the second Arsenal player to serve a European suspension this season after Raheem Sterling.
Declan Rice, Jurrien Timber, and Gabriel Martinelli would have also been had they been booked in Spain, but now have clean records.
Fabian Ruiz was the only PSG player at risk of being banned for the semi-final first leg, yet he too avoided a third caution.
Partey’s absence may force Arteta into reshuffling his midfield, with Jorginho unable to deputise in holding midfield due to injury.
Instead, Rice could drop into the No.6 role, with makeshift striker Mikel Merino returning to his more orthodox No.8 position.
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