Arsenal have been dealt a setback ahead of their Champions League clash with Lille, as both Piero Hincapie and Martin Zubimendi have been ruled out due to freak ankle injuries.
Manager Mikel Arteta revealed that both players were injured during a post-match warm-down session following the 2-1 win against Leeds. Hincapie, who came on as a late substitute, was carried off after hurting his ankle, while Zubimendi also suffered an ankle injury in the same session.
“We had a training session planned after the game for the players who didn’t get many minutes so everyone could recover on Sunday. In two very unfortunate incidents, we lost two players,” Arteta explained in his pre-match press conference.
Both players will miss Tuesday night’s Champions League tie against Lille, with Arteta noting that Hincapie’s injury appears the more serious of the two.
Arsenal, who finished as Champions League finalists last season and won their opening group stage match over Napoli, currently sit second in the Premier League, three points off leaders Manchester City.
Arteta joked about the bizarre double injury:
“If I had a crystal ball, I’d tell everyone to go to the jacuzzi instead!”
The team now awaits further scans to determine the full extent of the injuries and the period both players will be sidelined.
