Mikel Arteta has shared crucial injury updates concerning Gabriel and Riccardo Calafiori as Arsenal prepares for their match against Tottenham Hotspur. Gabriel sustained an injury while playing for Brazil, which will keep him sidelined for several weeks.
Injury Update on Gabriel
Gabriel, a key player in Arsenal’s defense, was forced to leave the field during Brazil’s 2-0 victory against Senegal. Arteta confirmed in a pre-match press conference that, “Gabi unfortunately picked up an injury with the Brazil national team and he’s going to be out for weeks.”
The coach indicated that further assessment is planned. “We need to have another scan next Wednesday, and we’ll have the timeline probably much clearer than we have at the moment,” he added. Losing Gabriel is certainly a setback, given his leadership role in the backline.
Calafiori’s Status
Riccardo Calafiori is another player facing challenges. He was unable to participate in the recent international break due to ongoing fitness issues. Arteta noted, “He wasn’t available [for the international break], he’s been carrying a few things, and we had to bring him back. He hasn’t trained yet.”
Arsenal will conduct another training session tomorrow, which will help gauge Calafiori’s condition.
Additional Injury Concerns
In addition to Gabriel and Calafiori, several other players remain injured. Martin Ødegaard, Noni Madueke, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli, and Viktor Gyökeres are all long-term absentees who did not participate in the international matches.
Arteta emphasized the team’s efforts to expedite their recovery. He stated: “We’ve put in a lot of energy during the international break, with all the medical staff, to try to bring them back as quickly as possible.”
Further updates on their availability will be made known after tomorrow’s training session.
Key Takeaways
- Gabriel is out for several weeks due to an injury sustained while on international duty.
- A scan next Wednesday will provide more clarity on his recovery timeline.
- Calafiori has not trained following injuries and his status will be assessed in the next session.
- Multiple long-term injuries are affecting the squad ahead of the crucial clash against Tottenham.
