Two Arsenal Players Suffer Ankle Injuries Ahead of Lille Clash

Arsenal face a major setback ahead of their Champions League clash with Lille, as manager Mikel Arteta confirmed that both Piero Hincapie and Martin Zubimendi have been ruled out due to ankle injuries sustained during a post-match warm-down ^[1]. The incident occurred after Arsenal’s 2-1 comeback win over Leeds United at the Emirates Stadium, where the Gunners overturned a deficit with goals from Riccardo Calafiori and summer signing Bruno Guimaraes.

Arteta revealed the pair were involved in a training session intended to aid recovery and rhythm for players who had limited minutes, but both suffered 'very unfortunate' injuries ^[1]. Hincapie had to be carried off the pitch, while Zubimendi also sustained a similar ankle issue ^[2]. Further scans are underway to determine the full extent of their injuries, though Arteta confirmed they will miss the Lille match for sure.

The double blow adds to Arsenal’s growing injury list, with William Saliba and Christos Tzolis already sidelined ^[2]. Saliba, however, is progressing well, having returned to individual training sessions after his World Cup injury ^[1]. Arteta remains optimistic, saying Saliba could join team training in the next few weeks.

Arsenal’s recent form has been mixed—after a 3-0 defeat to Brighton, they responded with a determined win over Leeds, which Arteta described as a positive step forward ^[1]. He praised the team’s emotional resilience, noting they managed to turn games around despite difficult contexts, though he highlighted the need for greater clinical finishing.

With Napoli and Lille both having played their opening Champions League fixtures—Napoli winning 1-0, Lille losing 3-2 to Real Betis—the stage is set for a high-stakes encounter in which Arsenal’s depleted squad will face a tough test ^[1]. The story was first reported by Metro and Mirror. According to ^[2], Arteta said the injury was unprecedented in seven years at the club, though this claim has not been confirmed by other sources.