Fight or flight? Arsenal stars fly to Spain for showdown with Atletico Madrid as Wenger plots his path for ultimate trophy send-off

Fight or flight? Arsenal stars fly to Spain for showdown with Atletico Madrid as Wenger plots his path for ultimate trophy send-off

But Wenger's hopes of reaching the final in Lyon - and securing Champions League football in the process - were improved when all six players were deemed fit to travel to the Spanish capital.

Wilshere was pictured smiling alongside Danny Welbeck on the tarmac before sitting next to his England colleague for the two-hour flight.  

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Wilshere, Welbeck, Koscielny and Alexandre Lacazette make themselves comfortable

Arsenal have been boosted by the return of six first-team stars for Thursday's crucial Europa League clash with Atletico Madrid.

Mesut Ozil, Jack Wilshere, Alexandre Lacazette, Aaron Ramsey, Laurent Koscielny and Shkodran Mustafi were all rested for Sunday's 2-1 defeat at Manchester United.

But all of them were pictured boarding the flight from Luton Airport to Madrid on Wednesday as Arsene Wenger looks to bow out with one final trophy.

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Arsenal duo Danny Welbeck (left) and Jack Wilshere make their way towards their team plane 

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Mesut Ozil is one of a number of big names back in the squad after missing Arsenal's last game

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Laurent Koscielny (left) and Aaron Ramsey are also available after being rested at Old Trafford

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Sead Kolasinac, David Ospina and Granit Xhaka (left) board the team plane on Wednesday

The Frenchman opted to leave a host of star names out of his squad for last weekend's trip to Old Trafford with Thursday's semi-final second leg in mind.

Arsenal were held to a 1-1 draw at the Emirates by 10-man Atletico after Antoine Griezmann pounced on an error by Koscielny to score late on in north London

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Wilshere looks serious as Koscielny reclines his seat back into the knees of forward Welbeck

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Hector Bellerin is expected to start at right back when Arsenal face Atletico Madrid again

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Calum Chambers poses for the camera as he makes his way onto the plane at Luton Airport

Ozil, Ramsey and Koscielny were also on board, with Lacazette, who opened the scoring in the first leg, looking relaxed in a black cap and club hoodie.  

Thursday night's game could be Wenger's last European match in charge of Arsenal, with the 68-year-old departing at the end of the season after 22 years in north London.

The Gunners finish the season with trips to Leicester and Huddersfield, with Wenger's last home game - against Burnley on May 6 - sandwiched in between.