Mikel Arteta counts cost of Champions League win as Arsenal’s injuries stack up
Sign up now: Get the biggest sports news in your inbox
Arsenal's Riccardo Calafiori, getting attention from Gabriel Martinelli, had to come off after sustaining an injury.
PHOTO: REUTERS
LONDON – Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said his side’s growing injury list was becoming a worry, after Riccardo Calafiori limped off near the end of a scrappy 1-0 win over Shakhtar Donetsk
The London club started without captain and long-term absentee Martin Odegaard and forward Bukayo Saka, and Italian defender Calafiori now also looks like a doubt for the Oct 27 English Premier League game against Liverpool after injuring his knee.
Versatile defender Jurrien Timber is also struggling to be fit for the visit of Liverpool, while centre-back William Saliba will be missing after his red card in the 2-0 defeat at Bournemouth on Oct 19.
“With Riccy, he had to come off because he felt something. I don’t know the extent of it but it’s not good news, it’s a bit of a worry,” said Arteta, whose side have seven points from their opening three Champions League games.
Arsenal fans will be happy to learn that full-back Ben White’s substitution at half-time was not injury-related, but because he had picked up a yellow card.
“It was my decision to take him out. He had a yellow card, we have played enough with 10 men in recent periods. They had a lot of density, a lot of attacking players on that side and we didn’t want to take any chances,” Arteta said.
He sounded pessimistic about the chances of Saka returning against Premier League leaders Liverpool, but was at least heartened by the way his side bounced back from the loss at Bournemouth, even if they struggled in the second half against Shakhtar.
Arsenal, who take on Serie A side Inter Milan in their next Champions League game, are fourth in the new 36-team group phase ahead of the Oct 23 fixtures.
“Very pleased with the result. Always difficult in Champions League. We had four big, big chances (in the first half). We should have converted them and put the game to bed, and the second half I felt a bit of fatigue,” Arteta said.
“Playing 60 minutes with 10 men (against Bournemouth) a few days ago is difficult. We left the game a bit open, but we dug in for three points.”
Things could have been easier for Arsenal had Leandro Trossard’s penalty not been saved by visiting goalkeeper Dmytro Riznyk, who was unlucky to score the own goal in the first half. A low shot from forward Gabriel Martinelli rebounded off the post and off the back of Riznyk in the 29th minute.
“I don’t know (why Kai Havertz didn’t take the penalty). He is one of the takers but Leo took it,” Arteta said.
Arsenal’s failure to kill the game off almost cost them as the Ukrainian champions grew in confidence and goalkeeper David Raya was forced into a superb stoppage-time save to keep out a shot by Pedrinho.
“We haven’t conceded much, but we need him in those moments,” Arteta said.
With one point from three games, Shakhtar remain without a goal in the Champions League this term. Marino Pusic’s side, unable to play home European fixtures in Ukraine since Russia invaded in 2022, competed gamely but lacked a cutting edge.
“I think we deserved an equaliser. We were chasing for an equaliser till the end of the game... we did our best,” Pusic told TNT Sports.
While Arteta has some injuries to deal with, his problems are nothing compared to those of the Shakhtar coach, who spoke afterwards about the logistical difficulties facing a team from a country ravaged by the ongoing conflict.
“Our schedule is tough to travel. When I see the attitude and the positivity, I’m proud,” he said.
“Tomorrow we fly back to Poland and then we drive on the bus to the train station and then take the night train which is around 20 hours. It’s a tough one. But this is the way it is.” REUTERS, AFP
