Football

Mikel Arteta Offers Injury Update On Martin Odegaard As Arsenal Captain Ruled Out Of Champions League Opener

James Chittick Sports Editor

Published18 Sep 2024

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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has provided some fresh information on Martin Odegaard’s injury status.

Gunners captain Odegaard hobbled off over the international break during Norway’s Nations League victory over Austria on 9 September.

The 25-year-old went down holding his left ankle after he was fouled by Christoph Baumgartner during the second half.

Having returned to London for an MRI scan, Odegaard missed his side’s North London derby win over Tottenham at the weekend.

But hopes of the midfielder returning to action soon have been dashed by this latest update.

Mikel Arteta has described Odegaard’s injury as ‘significant’, and confirmed he will miss Thursday’s Champions League meeting with Atalanta.

Arteta said: “The scan showed some damage around the ligaments in the ankle so we are going to miss him,

“It’s something quite significant so we are going to lose him for a while. Hopefully not months.”

The injury means not only does Odegaard miss his side’s opening Champions League match, but also the trip to league leaders Manchester City on Sunday.

City and Arsenal are first and second in the Premier League as it stands. In a bitter blow for the Gunners, they will be without their talisman for what is likely the toughest game they will play all season.

Which Games Might Martin Odegaard’s Injury Rule Him Out For?

If Mikel Arteta’s assessment of ‘hopefully not months’ is accurate, Odegaard may still miss some big matches.

As well as Atalanta and Manchester City, Odegaard could also be out for Premier League games against Leicester City, Southampton and Bournemouth.

While easier on paper than some other opponents, all three will relish the chance to play Arsenal without their captain.

And in the middle of those games is a daunting Champions League clash with PSG at the Emirates.

If Odegaard is out for four-six weeks, he will be racing against time to be fit for Arsenal’s games against Liverpool and Shakhtar Donetsk.

But if his recovery is closer to six-eight weeks, he may not even be fit for a brutal run of games which sees the Gunners travel away to Newcastle, Internazionale and Chelsea in the space of just eight days in November.