Arsenal midfielder Mariona Caldentey will be sidelined for the next eight to ten weeks after suffering a hamstring injury during the match against Manchester City. The injury prevents the former Barça player from meeting fans at the Spotify Camp Nou on November 12, when Arsenal face the same club in a high-profile match.
According to Arsenal coach Renee Slegers, the injury is “important” and the player will not travel with the Spanish team. Slegers regretted Caldentey's absence in the upcoming matches, stressing that the injury will keep her off the field for a considerable time. The injury arose in the last game of the season, leaving the team with the task of reorganizing its scheme without one of its key pieces.
Since leaving Barça in the summer of 2024 and joining Arsenal, Mariona has been a central figure in the London club's strategy. Her absence represents a challenge for coach Pere Romeu, especially in a duel that will relive the last final of the Women's Champions League in 2025, where Arsenal beat Barça in the final in Oslo. Barça, who already showed themselves dominant by beating OL Lyonnes 4‑0 in last year's final, are looking for revenge against an Arsenal team that has not started the season well.
The match on November 12 will also feature the presence of other former Barça players at Arsenal, such as Ona Batlle, who moved to London last summer, and goalkeeper Misa Rodríguez, formerly of Real Madrid. With the departure of Caldentey, the Arsenal team will have to adjust its tactics to remain competitive against a Barça that continues to seek to consolidate its position in the elite of women's football.