Arteta rejects claims of faking Arsenal injury withdrawals
Mikel Arteta has defended Arsenal amid criticism over the club’s high number of international withdrawals. The manager insists all decisions were made transparently and based on medical advice. Arteta emphasized the club’s strong communication with national teams and denied any manipulation of player injuries. He reiterated that Arsenal always supports players representing their countries when fit.
Match highlights
- Mikel Arteta stated that all Arsenal player withdrawals from international duty were based on medical assessments.
- The club saw 11 players pull out during the most recent international break, sparking debate about injury management.
- William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhães, Eberechi Eze, Martin Ødegaard, Jurrien Timber, and Leandro Trossard missed out due to various injuries.
- Five more players, including Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka, withdrew after joining their national teams, mostly with minor knocks.
- Arteta confirmed that Eze will miss the upcoming FA Cup quarter-final against Southampton, while Ødegaard and Timber could return.
