Now and then, we see cases where star players don't show up for national team duty, citing a sudden pain and withdrawing from the squad, only to make a quick recovery when club responsibilities resume.

Such instances have happened and will continue to happen, just as managers will cringe when they see one of their players lying on the ground with a painful expression during the international break.

That's exactly how Martin Ødegaard left the pitch, requesting a substitution in the second half against Austria. Unfortunately for Mikel Arteta, this is not his only worry. The North London derby is just around the corner, with Arsenal set to face Tottenham on Sunday.

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But they might be without Martin Ødegaard. The captain of both Norway and Arsenal was struck in the ankle during a clash with Christoph Baumgartner. He couldn’t continue and had to leave the field with the help of two doctors, effectively aggravating an old injury.

Ødegaard had complained of pain after the Brighton game, but the response in training sessions and during the match against Kazakhstan had been positive. 

However, his ankle couldn’t hold up, and now Mikel Arteta has another headache. He has already lost Mikel Merino indefinitely (a shoulder injury caused a bone fracture, delaying his debut, possibly for months), Declan Rice is suspended, and now the Norwegian playmaker is also injured. 

All signs point to Thomas Partey and Jorginho starting in midfield against Tottenham, but putting together a midfield is just one of the problems Arsenal will face in the coming days.

The London club spent 45,000,000 euros on Riccardo Calafiori, only to be without the Italian defender for an indefinite period. He had contact with Ousmane Dembélé, felt pain in his calf, and immediately returned to Arsenal for tests. 

Luciano Spalletti gave a bold prognosis that nothing serious is wrong, but it remains to be seen if the Bologna signing will be fit for Tottenham. Two injuries during international duties – that's no small matter. And then there are the previous injuries affecting Gabriel Jesus (who only played in the first match) and Takehiro Tomiyasu, plus the bad luck that hit Mikel Merino.

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Source: Alazeera 

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