Arsenal's next Champions League match, scheduled for tomorrow at 9pm at the Emirates Stadium, promises to be more difficult than expected: manager Mikel Arteta has announced the loss of two key players due to injuries. During the post-match training session against Leeds, midfielder Martin Zubimendi and defender Piero Hincapie suffered ankle problems. Both were taken to hospital for further evaluation. Arteta declared that "in two very unfortunate circumstances we lost two players. It's not good news. We need to evaluate them. Today they will undergo further instrumental tests to understand their real situation and define recovery times."
Zubimendi, 24, was forced to leave training in his arms due to a broken ankle, while Hincapie suffered a similar problem during the same unloading session. The coach reiterated the importance of carefully monitoring their condition before deciding on any return to the field. The absence of these two players could impact Arteta's strategy for the match with Lille, led by Davide Ancelotti, which will take place on the same evening.
Meanwhile, defender William Saliba has returned to individual training after more than a week recovering from a back injury. Although he has returned to the field, the player is not yet available for competition due to the need to manage workloads and monitor the number of repetitions he can sustain. Arteta explained that "we are managing the loads, monitoring the number of repetitions and consecutive sessions he can sustain. He is rebuilding his athletic condition to excellent standards and we will see in the next few weeks if we can reintroduce him into the group and understand where we are at to make him available for call-ups again". As for his availability after the November international break, the coach admitted he still doesn't have a definitive answer, underlining the difficulty of predicting recovery times in specific injury cases.
With these absences, Arsenal will have to review their lineup for the Champions League match. Arteta expressed concern about the impact of injuries, but also showed confidence in the team's ability to adapt. The club will continue to monitor the situation of the injured players and communicate any updates before the start of the match against Lille. Next week will be crucial to understand if Zubimendi, Hincapie and Saliba will be able to return to contribute to the group in view of the next European competitions.