Hincapié and Zubimendi out after warm-down injuries but Arsenal get Saliba boost
Piero Hincapié and Martín Zubimendi injured their ankles during a warm-down after Arsenal’s win over Leeds, leaving the club without both players for Tuesday’s Champions League match against Lille. Mikel Arteta said the injuries were unfortunate and frustrating, but he would keep the post-match training routine because players need match rhythm.
Both players are due to have scans, with Hincapié’s injury appearing more serious; Arteta said more would be known after the results. The pair had not started a Premier League match this season and were expected to play against Lille. There was better news as William Saliba has resumed individual training while recovering from a back injury, though Arteta said his return is still weeks away.
- Hincapié and Zubimendi will miss Lille after ankle injuries.
- Scans will determine the extent of both injuries.
- Saliba has resumed individual training, but remains weeks from a return.
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Arsenal Football Club is one of England's most successful professional teams, competing domestically in the Premier League and in the UEFA Champions League, Europe's top club competition. Teams require their full squad available because they must compete across multiple demanding tournaments throughout the season.
Piero Hincapié and Martín Zubimendi are defensive players for Arsenal who sustained ankle injuries during a warm-down training session following a recent match. Both were expected to play in an upcoming Champions League fixture against Lille, so their injuries affect the squad available to manager Mikel Arteta for that match.
The club has been dealing with broader injury concerns, as William Saliba, another key defensive player, is still recovering from a back injury and several weeks away from returning to play. These absences mean Arsenal will face their forthcoming fixtures without several important players from their defence.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Post-match warm-down routines serve essential functions in player recovery, injury prevention, and maintaining the fitness standards demanded at elite level. Abandoning the practice because of occasional mishaps would undermine these scientific and competitive principles; the injuries here, whilst unfortunate, do not reflect an inherent flaw in a well-established recovery protocol.
The case against
Whilst warm-down routines have genuine benefits, the incident demonstrates that real injury risk exists in non-competitive settings. With limited squad depth, Arsenal ought to weigh whether the benefits justify exposing players to preventable injury, particularly when the cost—missing two players for a Champions League match—is measurable and significant.