Arsenal defender Piero Hincapie and midfielder Martin Zubimendi suffered ankle injuries during a post-match training session after Saturday’s 2-1 Premier League win over Leeds United. Both players were ruled out of Tuesday’s Champions League meeting with Lille, while further scans were planned to establish the severity and expected recovery periods.
The session was arranged for players who had not played enough minutes to maintain match fitness. Hincapie entered the Leeds game in the 82nd minute, while Zubimendi was an unused substitute. The additional work included a small-sided game, after which Hincapie had to be carried from the pitch by substitute goalkeeper Illan Meslier.
Mikel Arteta said Hincapie’s injury appeared more serious than Zubimendi’s, although he stressed that the club would wait for the scan results before setting a timeline. Both players missed Monday’s training session ahead of Lille’s visit to the Emirates Stadium.
Arteta said Arsenal used the routine to keep squad players ready during a busy schedule and to allow the whole group to recover on Sunday before returning to training Monday. He said the same type of small-sided session had been used 37 times during the previous season without an injury, and that he had not seen two players injured in such circumstances during his seven years at the club.
The injuries leave Arsenal without two players who have mostly been used from the bench this season. Hincapie had also started the club’s Champions League victory over Napoli, while Zubimendi had made five Premier League appearances as a substitute. William Saliba, meanwhile, has resumed individual work on the grass after a back problem, but Arteta said his return to squad availability remained a matter of weeks.