Arteta left stunned! Arsenal lose Zubimendi and Hincapié to freak injuries in post-match training
Mikel Arteta has confirmed that Arsenal have lost Martin Zubimendi and Piero Hincapié to injury, with both players hurt during a training session held after Saturday's 2-1 Premier League win over Leeds United.
Details: 'We had a training session after the game for the players who did not have enough minutes. In two very unfortunate actions, we lost two players,' Arteta said, confirming every Arsenal supporter's worst fears after footage emerged of both men being helped off the pitch during the warm-down.
The double blow is a bitter twist for Hincapié in particular. The Ecuadorian centre-back had only just fought his way back from a groin problem that kept him out of the start of the season, came on for the final minutes against Leeds, and then suffered an ankle injury in the small-sided game that followed the final whistle. Footage showed him in visible pain and unable to put weight on the foot before teammates carried him off, and some reports suggest the damage could be serious.
Zubimendi's issue is believed to be less severe, but the Spaniard was also absent from Monday's open training session at London Colney ahead of Tuesday's Champions League clash with Lille. Both players are now considered extremely doubtful for the European tie, forcing Arteta to reshuffle once again.
The timing could hardly be worse for a squad already stretched to its limits. Christos Tzolis is sidelined for several weeks with a hamstring injury picked up on international duty, and William Saliba is still working his way back from a back problem that has kept him out since the World Cup — though the Frenchman was at least back on the grass training individually on Monday, targeting a return next month.
It's worth noting that Arsenal's injury list has now reached double figures just weeks into the season, turning every training session into a minefield and testing the depth of a squad that many already considered the deepest in Arteta's tenure.
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Miguel Solomons
Dailysports's expert
