Arteta Defends Arsenal Training After Ankle Injuries to Two Players

Mikel Arteta has stood by Arsenal's approach to post-match training after Piero Hincapié and Martín Zubimendi suffered ankle injuries during a session at Emirates Stadium. The pair were among players who had not accumulated enough minutes in the 2-1 win over Leeds United and were working to regain rhythm ahead of recovery the following day. Both players are set for scans to gauge the damage and will miss the upcoming Champions League match at home.

Arteta noted the session was part of a planned schedule and that similar work had been completed 37 times in the previous campaign without incident. He explained that contact is inherent in small-sided games and that staff reviewed whether adjustments could have prevented the issues, though the overall plan for the week remained unchanged. The manager described the timing as far from ideal but stressed that avoiding training altogether would leave players short of match readiness.

Separately, Arteta confirmed William Saliba has resumed light training yet remains weeks from a return to action. The centre-back's progress is being monitored closely without a fixed timeline for his comeback.