Champions League suspended players: Arsenal boost, Aston Villa blow as four players banned for this week's fixtures

The Champions League league phase resumes this week as 36 teams look to boost their hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages of the competition.

Despite the main stage of the 2026-27 tournament being in its infancy, there were as many as 11 players who were suspended for matchday one.

One of those players is still banned for matchday two, but three fresh faces will join him in sitting out his team's respective fixture on matchday two.

Here, Sports Mole highlights the four players who are banned from playing in the next batch of Champions League matches.

Mbappe among four players banned for Champions League MD2 fixtures

The headline name of players who cannot play is Mbappe. However, it is not Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe, it is his brother Ethan Mbappe, who plays for Lille.

Having been handed a red card for elbowing Real Betis player Natan on matchday one, the 19-year-old has subsequently been handed a three-match ban.

That has ensured that he will sit out the trip to play Premier League champions Arsenal on Tuesday night.

Jan Bednarek will miss Porto's contest with Real Betis as he serves the second fixture of a two-game ban from a Europa League fixture versus Nottingham Forest last season.

© Imago / ZUMA Press Wire

Bodo/Glimt will have to make a defensive change for their meeting with Borussia Dortmund, a consequence of centre-back Odin Bjortuft being sent off against Bayern Munich.

Meanwhile, Mikulas Konency set a Champions League record when he was sent off against Lens, the defender's dismissal after just three minutes and 34 seconds the quickest that a competition debutant has been sent off in the competition's history.

Aston Villa blow ahead of Fenerbahce Champions League fixture

Fenerbahce midfielder Matteo Guendouzi had been expected to miss his team's trip to England to face Aston Villa.

The Frenchman was initially handed a two-match ban for a number of offences - including starting a brawl after the full-time whistle - in a playoff tie with Lyon.

However, on appeal, his punishment was reduced to just one match, making him available to face Villa on Wednesday night.