Arsenal suffer unprecedented double injury setback, says Mikel Arteta
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Arsenal’s Viktor Gyokeres, Martin Zubimendi, Bruno Guimaraes and Piero Hincapie warming up as substitutes during their match against Leeds United on Oct 10.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said he had never known a similar situation in his seven years at the club after Piero Hincapie and Martin Zubimendi were injured in a post-match training session following their English Premier League win over Leeds United.
Hincapie, 24, came on in the 82nd minute as Arsenal won 2-1 against Leeds on Oct 10, while Zubimendi, 27, was an unused substitute. Both players are now doubtful for Arsenal’s Champions League clash against Lille on Oct 13.
“It’s never happened in seven years I’ve been here. It could happen in the training session the next day,” Arteta told reporters on Oct 12. “It’s happened now and hopefully it doesn’t happen again, but what can you do?”
The Spaniard said the pair were injured during an additional session arranged for players who did not get enough minutes against Leeds.
“We had a training session planned after the match for everyone who didn’t get enough minutes, and in two unfortunate actions we lost two players,” he said.
“They’ll have further scans to see where they are and we’ll have that timeframe for how long they are going to be out for.”
Arteta said the extra work was necessary to ensure squad players were ready when called upon.
“If they never train, 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 said.
Hincapie has made three Premier League appearances off the bench this season but started in Arsenal’s Champions League win over Napoli in September.
Zubimendi has also largely featured as a substitute, making five league appearances from the bench this campaign. REUTERS