Preparations for the Europa League final are starting to heat up with just seven days until the showdown in Baku.
Arsenal face a huge task when they take on Premier League rivals Chelsea, in a clash which could see them sneak through the back door into next season's Champions League.
Of course keeping players fit is of the utmost important to Unai Emery, who will be hoping to travel with the strongest squad possible.
One player who he will have to do without is Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
The 30-year-old Armenian will miss the showpiece final against Chelsea in Azerbaijan after the club revealed he would not make the trip on saftey grounds.
football.london observed the former Borussia Dortmund attacker complete the open training session at the club's HQ at London Colney on Tuesday morning.
The Yerevan-born attacking midfielder looked fit and sharp in a group which included Danny Welbeck as the players were put through their paces in a light session under the eagle eye of the club's joint assistant head coach Juan Carlos Carcedo.
However the Gunners issued a statement saying: "We have thoroughly explored all the options for Micki to be part of the squad but after discussing this with Micki and his family we have collectively agreed he will not be in our travelling party."
Arsenal have raised their issue with UEFA because Mkhitaryan - by dint of hailing from Armenia - is banned from entering next-door Azerbaijan.
The countries have twice gone to war and technically a state of war is still on their statute books.
The reason the pair do not have diplomatic relations is due to a territorial wrangle over a disputed state called Nagorno-Karabakh that has seen innocent civilians as well as military personnel lose their lives in a series of flashpoints over the years.
Armenians - such as Mkhitaryan - are banned from entering Azerbaijan that has seen European football's governing body UEFA - as well as FIFA fudging the issue by making sure the pair will not be drawn together in European, or World Cup fixtures. UEFA also kept them apart in last year's Nations League draw.
The political solution has seen the Azerbaijan government granting exceptions to the rule and it was expected that the Armenian would have been granted a visa had Arsenal requested one. But fears over the safety of the player have been raised.
The issue is a political hot potato and an Arsenal source told football.london that while the player's safety was paramount he is not travelling for 'multiple reasons'.
In the late spring sunshine, prior to the training commencing, a strong Arsenal squad gathered to listen to boss Unai Emery issue a rallying cry that was met with applause.
A number of senior players were invited to speak to the group, including Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. As the brief speeches ended they were met with clapping, whoops and whistles by colleagues, with all the players appearing to be in high spirits.
Mezut Ozil trained, as did Alex Lacazette, along with the rest of the first team. The only absentees were Rob Holding and Aaron Ramsey.
A number of young players also took part including Eddie Nketiah, Joe Willock and Bukayo Saka as the squad gear up for the big game next week.
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