Mikel Arteta has confirmed that Martin Zubimendi and Piero Hincapie have sustained injuries ahead of Arsenal’s Champions League meeting with Lille after both players suffered problems during a warm-down session following Saturday’s Premier League victory over Leeds United.
The pair were not in Arsenal’s starting XI for the 2-1 win against Daniel Farke’s side but participated in a planned training session for players who had not accumulated enough minutes during the match.
Arteta revealed on Monday that two separate incidents during the session left both players injured, forcing the club to arrange further medical assessments to establish the extent of their problems.
Arteta Describes Injuries as Unprecedented in Seven Years
The Arsenal manager admitted that the circumstances surrounding the injuries were particularly unfortunate, explaining that he had rarely encountered such a situation during his time at the club.
“We had a training session planned for after game for players that did not have enough minutes… and in two very unfortunate actions we lost two players,” Arteta said.
“Far from ideal. It’s never happened in seven years. We need to assess them today and have further scans to see where they are then we will have a timeframe on how long they are going to be out for.”
Asked whether the injuries could have been avoided, Arteta suggested that preventing players from training would eliminate the possibility of training-related injuries but would also leave them short of match fitness when called upon.
“Very easy, you don’t train. If they never train then they don’t get injured, but the consequence to that is when they are needed play they have no rhythm and when you ask them to play they are going to have no impact in the game,” he explained.
Arteta acknowledged that similar incidents could occur during training or at the Emirates Stadium, adding that the unpredictable nature of injuries made them difficult to prevent.
“What can you do? If I had a crystal ball I would just say ‘guys, get in the Jacuzzi and I will see you tomorrow’,” he said.
Footage Shows Hincapie Being Carried Off by Meslier
Questions have also emerged over the circumstances surrounding Hincapie’s departure from the pitch after footage circulated showing Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier carrying the injured defender on his back following the incident.
Rather than waiting for a stretcher, Meslier helped Hincapie leave the playing area while the Arsenal player appeared to be in considerable discomfort.
Arteta declined to elaborate when asked about the manner in which his defender was taken off the pitch.
“That’s something else not to discuss here,” the Arsenal manager responded.
Calafiori Could Be Called Upon at Left-Back
Hincapie’s absence leaves Arsenal with potential changes to consider in defence ahead of their Champions League fixture against Lille.
Riccardo Calafiori could be brought into the starting line-up at left-back, having not featured in Arsenal’s Champions League matches so far this season.
The Italian has been among the club’s standout performers during the campaign, contributing one goal and two assists from defence.
Jurrien Timber is another option for the position, while Myles Lewis-Skelly could also be considered after featuring in midfield against Leeds.
Arsenal had been preparing to manage the workload of several players following a demanding international break, making the two injuries particularly untimely for Arteta’s selection plans.
Arsenal Have Several Midfield Alternatives Without Zubimendi
Although Zubimendi’s injury removes another option from Arsenal’s midfield, Arteta has several players capable of operating in the double-pivot role.
Mikel Merino, Bruno Guimaraes, Declan Rice and Lewis-Skelly are among the available options who can be deployed in central midfield.
The depth in that area gives Arteta alternatives when selecting his team, although the club will first need to establish the severity of Zubimendi’s injury.
Arteta Eager to Build on Arsenal’s Previous Champions League Campaign
Arsenal enter the latest Champions League campaign seeking to improve on last season’s run, when they lost the final to Paris Saint-Germain.
Arteta expressed his satisfaction at competing in Europe’s premier club competition again and emphasised the team’s desire to maintain its momentum.
“I think we are really happy to be in the Champions League again. We want to keep the momentum, last year we did really well in the Champions League,” he said.
“It’s an opportunity for us again to attack the Champions League.”
