Arsenal lost two players to injury during a post-match training session after their 2-1 Premier League win against Leeds United on Saturday. Defender Piero Hincapié and midfielder Martín Zubimendi were hurt in a small-sided game arranged for those who had not played the full 90 minutes at Emirates Stadium.
Hincapié, 24, came on after the 82nd minute against Leeds but was carried off the pitch on the back of substitute goalkeeper Illan Meslier during the training session. Manager Mikel Arteta confirmed that Zubimendi, 27, who did not feature in the match, was also injured. Both players are now awaiting further scans to determine the severity of their injuries and the expected recovery time.
“We had a training session planned after the match for everyone that didn’t get enough minutes, and in two unfortunate actions we lost two players,” Arteta said ahead of Arsenal’s Champions League fixture against Lille on Tuesday. “They’ll have further scans to see where they are and we’ll have that time frame for how long they are going to be out for.”
Arteta’s decision to hold a session for players who had limited game time is part of his strategy to keep the squad in rhythm amid a congested fixture schedule. The Spaniard regularly arranges small-sided matches in training to ensure players maintain their physical output and match sharpness. He said the ankle injury sustained by Hincapié appeared more serious than Zubimendi’s.
Asked if the injuries could have been prevented, Arteta responded with a hint of irony: “Never train and they don’t get injured. The consequence of that is when you ask them to play they have no rhythm and no impact in the game.” He added that in his seven years at Arsenal, this was the first time players had gotten injured during such a session. “If I had a crystal ball, I would just say, ‘Guys, get in the jacuzzi, and I will see you tomorrow’.”
The sight of Illan Meslier carrying Hincapié off the pitch drew attention, as members of the medical staff were present but did not intervene immediately. Arteta declined to comment in detail on this, saying: “That’s something else, not to discuss here.”
Hincapié has made three Premier League appearances off the bench this season but started Arsenal’s Champions League win over Napoli last month. Zubimendi, who joined Arsenal in the summer, has appeared five times from the bench in the league.
The timing of the injuries is unfortunate for Arsenal, coming just before a crucial run of fixtures including the Champions League match against Lille. The club will now assess the injuries to determine their impact on squad selection in the coming weeks.
According to Joy Online.
