Mikel Arteta says the best way to keep Bukayo Saka fit is to move on from his injury now, describing the winger as “fully recovered”.
Bukayo Saka made his first start back in an Arsenal shirt earlier this week, making the lineup against Real Madrid after consecutive substitute appearances against Fulham and Everton.
A Champions League quarter-final against the record winners of the competition is hardly the best way to ease a player back, but Saka stood up to the challenge.
Barring one early error, it was an impressive display throughout, capped off with the two free-kicks he won for Arsenal’s first two goals.
Speaking about Saka’s current fitness situation and his spell out of action, Mikel Arteta told Sky Sports that the winger has put in the hard work. Now it’s time for him to forget about his time out.
“His preparation was top, from day one things went really well,” Arteta said. “The medical staff were exceptional with him and he was very determined that ‘when I’m coming back, I’m going to make an impact again like if I was always here’.
“(The key to keeping him fit is) probably not talking about it. He’s fit, he’s doing well, he’s free, he’s enjoying it. Let him be.
“Injuries are part of football. It happened, and it happened probably for a reason that we don’t understand too well. But he’s fully recovered, he’s in good shape, and let him do what he’s very good at.”
Shaking off an injury often can be as much about the mental side as the physical. Players who overcompensate to avoid reinjury can often end up causing themselves harm in other areas.
We’ve already seen the evidence that players can overcome significant setbacks with the right mentality this season.
Football fans widely consider ACL injuries to be some of the most serious and career-threatening in the sport, yet Jurrien Timber is back playing regularly and is in serious contention for the club’s Player of the Season award.
Timber hasn’t been scared to throw himself back into action like he was never away, and ...
