Arsenal’s manager Mikel Arteta expressed frustration after two first‑team players suffered ankle injuries during the warm‑down following the club’s 2‑1 victory over Leeds United. Piero Hincapié and Martín Zubimendi will undergo scans on Monday to assess the damage, and Arteta confirmed that both will miss the upcoming Champions League tie at home to Lille on Tuesday. Hincapié’s injury was described as “a little more serious” than Zubimendi’s.
The injuries occurred during a post‑match training session that Arteta had planned to help the squad regain match rhythm. “We had a training session planned after the game for the players,” the manager said. “They didn’t have enough minutes to get everybody in the right rhythm and in two very unfortunate actions, we lost two players.” He called the situation “far from ideal” but rejected suggestions that he would alter the post‑match routine. Arteta added that when players are not in rhythm they can struggle to make an impact, a scenario he has seen before but hopes will not recur.
Both Hincapié and Zubimendi have not started in the Premier League this season, and their absence will be felt in the upcoming European fixture. Arteta also criticised the handling of Hincapié’s injury by Illan Meslier and the coaching staff, noting that the reserve goalkeeper had taken the player off the pitch on a piggyback rather than waiting for a stretcher. “That’s something else not to discuss here,” Arteta said, before adding that further scans would clarify the extent of the injuries.
On a brighter note, defender William Saliba has returned to solo training after recovering from a back injury sustained during the World Cup. Arteta stressed that the French centre‑back’s return would not be rushed, saying the club was still discussing a timeline of “weeks” for his full recovery. The news comes ahead of Arsenal’s Champions League match against Lille, where the squad will need to adjust without the two injured players and will look to other defensive options such as Gabriel Magalhães and Ezri Konsa.