Gabriel Jesus admitted that he has become accustomed to playing football with pain ahead of Arsenal's Champions League tie with Bayern Munich.

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• Jesus has been suffering from a long-standing knee injury
• It has been a recurrent issue for the Brazilian
• Admitted to still feeling the "pain" while playing

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 27-year-old Brazilian forward, who underwent knee surgery following an injury that sidelined him during Brazil's World Cup campaign in December 2022, has faced a tumultuous journey to recovery. After missing 99 days of action, Jesus returned to the field only to encounter three additional knee injuries in just over a year, highlighting the relentless challenges he has endured with his knee.

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  WHAT JESUS SAID

  "I don't remember the last time I played football without pain," Jesus candidly admitted, shedding light on the physical toll his injuries have taken on his body.

  "I'm just trying to recover good to be ready. I personally don't normally want to talk about my fitness. After the World Cup, I had that injury in my knee and I recovered so well, but had a setback after the pre-season.

  "I played in like three 90-minute games in a row and again a pain in the knee. Then after training, I had a kick in the knee. I'm just trying to get fit and help Arsenal as soon as I can. Unfortunately, I've been having some problems and people don't always see that. But mentally, I try to be strong in my mind. That's it."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Jesus, who has made 15 Premier League starts for Arsenal this season, is aware of the club's pursuit of another striker for next season, with Brentford's Ivan Toney among the names mentioned.

  "They already know if they want one or not," he stated.

  "This might be a question for them. My job is to train hard and improve what I have to improve. Speculation will always be there."

  However, Jesus remains focused on his role within the team and is raring to fire Arsenal to the Premier League and Champions League double at the end of the campaign.

  "That's the best part of the season, you know, for everyone who is still alive in the Champions League and fighting for the Premier League," added Jesus. "Now it's the decisive games, the details time. Everyone is fit again and I hope everyone can give extra and help the team.

  "I grew up watching the Premier League. I think all the players here want it. We are in the quarter-finals, anything can happen. If we can minimise the small details we'll have a bigger chance. There are still big games with a battle to play, but let's see. It will be an amazing achievement but it's early to think like this. We have to think of every game as a final. We have to be there every game fighting."

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has often hailed Jesus as a cornerstone of his plans, praising the forward's wealth of experience and winning mentality. With Arsenal poised for success in both European and domestic competitions, Jesus's resilience and determination are expected to be invaluable assets in the team's pursuit of silverware. After getting a start during the weekend's triumph over Brighton, the forward will hope to retain his place when the Gunners host Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie on Tuesday at the Emirates Stadium.