Why is Hirving ‘Chucky’ Lozano not playing for PSV against Arsenal in UCL?

Hirving ‘Chucky’ Lozano is not available for PSV Eindhoven’s Champions League fixture against Arsenal on Tuesday.

Both sides have already confirmed their qualification to the knock-out stages of this year’s competition. Arsenal go through as group winners and PSV have wrapped up second place, due to their superior head-to-head record against Lens.

Lozano is suspended for the group stage dead rubber after picking up his third yellow card of this year’s tournament in the win over Sevilla. In the Champions League group stage players are hit with a one-game suspension if they receive three bookings.

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The Mexican international will be free to return for the round-of-16 fixtures in the new year.

Is Ricardo Pepi playing for PSV Eindhoven?

With Lozano certain to miss out, there could be an opportunity for USMNT forward Ricardo Pepi to feature from the start. The 20-year-old joined PSV over the summer but has struggled to nail down a starting berth in his first few months in Eindhoven.

However he has started to find form in recent weeks, coming off the bench to score in PSV’s win over Heerenveen last weekend.

Pepi was also crucial in PSV’s qualification to the Champions League knock-out rounds, scoring an injury time winner against Sevilla in Matchday 5. The American’s 92nd-minute header completed an astonishing comeback for the Dutch side in Spain.

With qualification already assured, PSV head coach Peter Bosz may opt to rest regular starter Luuk de Jong and give Pepi an opportunity from the start against Arsenal.