Mikel Arteta has confirmed that Riccardo Calafiori is set for a few weeks out with a knee injury, but Jurrien Timber is available after an illness.
Arsenal’s two concerns from the international break surrounded two of their full-backs in Riccardo Calafiori and Jurrien Timber.
Calafiori featured in the first game of the international break with Italy against Germany, but he picked up an injury right at the end of the game and was forced to withdraw before the second leg.
Mikel Arteta admitted in his press conference on Monday that the injury could have been much worse, but the player is still expected to miss a few weeks.
“Riccardo (Calafiori) unfortunately picked up an injury again with the national team,” Arteta confirmed. “Really unfortunate, the way it happened. It could have been much worse [but] hopefully it’s going to be a matter of weeks. But we have to see how that injury evolves.”
Responding to another question on Calafiori, Arteta verified that the problem is a knee injury, before denying that there was much anyone could have done about the player’s two primary injuries this season.
“Knee injury, yeah,” Arteta said. “Two injuries were picked up with the national team, one was a kick and the other one was a really bad turn when he slips with the surface.
“The other one (with Arsenal) was muscular. But the main two injuries that he had [there was] very little to do, very unfortunate.”
As for Timber, the Dutch defender was supposed to be involved in his country’s Nations League tie against Spain ...
