Arsenal suffer blow ahead of UCL opener Vs Atalanta

The UEFA Champions League returned this week and Arsenal will be playing against Atalanta on Thursday in their opening match of the season.

Ahead of the European faceoff, Arsenal have been dealt a huge blow as their manager Mikel Arteta in a recent update confirmed that Martin Odegaard will be on the sidelines for an extended period.

Recall that the Gunners captain Odegaard sustained an ankle injury while playing for Norway earlier this month and was absent for last weekend’s north London derby win over Tottenham Hotspur.

Aside from missing Atalanta match, Odegaard will also be unavailable when Arsenal players Premier League title champions Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

According to Arteta, Odegaard would be out for a lengthy period, which is a major setback for Arsenal.

Arteta in a pre-match statement said the scans showed that the Gunners’ captain got some damage especially on one of the ligaments in the ankle.

“It’s something quite significant so we’re going to lose him for a while,” Arteta said.

The manager stressed that Odegaard’s absence will be a big test for the team to see how able they are to show their form.

Arsenal will hope to start their UCL season with a win on Thursday.