Arsenal's Injury Crisis Deepens as Ten Stars Withdraw from International Duty
Arsenal are preparing for their most pivotal run of fixtures in over two decades, but manager Mikel Arteta is confronting a mounting injury crisis. A staggering ten first-team players have withdrawn from international duty over the past week, casting a shadow over the Gunners' ambitions in the Premier League, Champions League, and FA Cup.
Growing List of Withdrawals Threatens Arsenal's Treble Chase
Despite the disappointment of losing the Carabao Cup final to Manchester City, Arsenal remain firmly in contention for three major trophies. They hold a nine-point lead over City in the Premier League and have advanced to the quarter-finals of both the Champions League and FA Cup. However, Arteta's plans are now jeopardised by a spate of injuries.
The timing could not be worse, with a critical week ahead. Arsenal face Southampton in the FA Cup quarter-final on Saturday, followed by the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final at Sporting Lisbon. A potential title-deciding clash against Manchester City also looms later in April.
The withdrawals include key England internationals Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, and Noni Madueke, who all pulled out of the squad to face Japan. In total, ten Arsenal players have been ruled out of international action, as detailed below.
Detailed Breakdown of Arsenal's Injury Withdrawals
- Eberechi Eze (England): Withdrew on Sunday 22 March due to a calf injury that also kept him out of the Carabao Cup final. Arteta stated the club had "tried everything" to get him fit.
- William Saliba (France): Withdrew on Monday 23 March with a left ankle injury, despite playing 90 minutes in the Carabao Cup final.
- Gabriel Magalhaes (Brazil): Withdrew on Monday 23 March after complaining of knee pain post-final. Imaging tests confirmed he was unfit.
- Jurrien Timber (Netherlands): Withdrew on Monday 23 March, having not recovered from an injury sustained against Everton.
- Leandro Trossard (Belgium): Withdrew on Monday 23 March to continue rehabilitation after playing 82 minutes in the final.
- Declan Rice (England): Withdrew on Saturday 28 March, returning to Arsenal for medical assessment after joining the England camp.
- Bukayo Saka (England): Withdrew on Saturday 28 March, similarly returning for assessment after reporting to the England squad.
- Noni Madueke (England): Withdrew on Saturday 28 March after being forced off against Uruguay with a knee injury, seen leaving Wembley in a brace.
- Piero Hincapie (Ecuador): Withdrew on Sunday 29 March after playing 72 minutes against Morocco, sent back to Arsenal for recovery.
- Martin Zubimendi (Spain): Withdrew on Sunday 29 March due to knee discomfort, removed from the squad to protect his health.
Players Who Featured and Arsenal's Upcoming Fixtures
Despite the withdrawals, some Arsenal players did feature in internationals. Sweden's Viktor Gyokeres, Italy's Riccardo Calafiori, and Denmark's Christian Norgaard played in World Cup qualifiers. Ben White, ironically, remained in the England squad, ending a four-year absence, while others like Kai Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli also saw action.
Arsenal were already without Martin Odegaard and Mikel Merino due to existing injuries, compounding Arteta's selection woes.
The Gunners return to action with a packed schedule:
- FA Cup quarter-final away to Southampton on Saturday 4 April.
- Champions League quarter-final first leg at Sporting Lisbon on Tuesday 7 April.
- Premier League home game against Bournemouth on Saturday 11 April.
- Champions League quarter-final second leg against Sporting on Wednesday 15 April.
- Blockbuster Premier League trip to Manchester City on Sunday 19 April.
This injury crisis leaves Arteta with significant challenges as Arsenal navigate their most crucial period in recent memory, with trophy hopes hanging in the balance.
