The news that Martin Odegaard may be sidelined for an extended period of time due to injury is not good for Mikel Arteta and Arsenal.
Martin Odegaard, the captain of Arsenal, will not play against Atalanta in the Champions League due to “serious” damage to his ankle, according to manager Mikel Arteta’s confirmation. Ahead of a pivotal week in their campaign, the news deals a serious blow to the Gunners.
Last week, while on international duty for Norway, Odegaard was forced to leave, and when he boarded a flight back to London, he was seen using crutches. The midfielder was sidelined for Arsenal’s 1-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in the North London Derby, and the team is currently awaiting scan results to ascertain the severity of the injury.
Speaking ahead of Serie A team Atalanta’s Champions League opener on Thursday night, Arteta confirmed the worst suspicions regarding Odegaard’s fitness.
According to the scan, there is significant damage to the ligament in his ankle, Arteta said. Martin will be absent for some time. The injury to one of the ankle ligaments in particular will prevent him from playing.
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The 26-year-old playmaker was an important member of Arsenal’s starting lineup in the first three games of the season as the Gunners attempted to challenge Manchester City for the Premier League title once more. Now that he is not there, Arsenal’s midfield is severely lacking as they manage a demanding schedule of games.
Martin Odegaard was initially expected to miss three to four weeks, but this was dependent on the presence or absence of ligament damage. According to Arteta’s most recent update, the injury looks to be more serious than first thought, but the team has not yet released an official recovery schedule.
The timing of Odegaard’s absence for Arsenal could not be worse. The Gunners are scheduled to play Premier League champions Manchester City on Sunday in addition to their Champions League matchup against Atalanta on Thursday. This crucial early-season encounter could narrow the current four-point gap between the two teams.
