Mikel Arteta has defended Arsenal's training programme after confirming that Piero Hincapié and Martín Zubimendi suffered "far from ideal" ankle injuries during a post-match session at Emirates Stadium on Saturday. Hincapié was seen being carried from the pitch by staff after the Gunners beat Leeds United 2-1 the previous weekend. Both players are undergoing scans on Monday to determine the extent of the damage.
Speaking ahead of Tuesday's Champions League home clash with Lille, Arteta said the session was planned for players who had not received enough minutes, designed to get everyone into rhythm. "In two very unfortunate actions, we lost two players," he said. He added that Hincapié's injury "looks a little bit more serious" and that both will miss tomorrow's match.
Arteta revealed he had discussed with staff whether anything could have been done differently. He said the team would have followed the same plan again, noting that such small-sided games involve contact and that similar sessions had not caused injuries the previous season. "It is a sport of contact and this can happen," he said, acknowledging that avoiding training altogether would leave players without the rhythm needed in matches.
Arteta also confirmed William Saliba has returned to light training but is still "weeks" away from a comeback, refusing to give a specific timeframe.
Source: ESPN Soccer · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing