Arsenal’s injury crisis deepened ahead of their much-anticipated Champions League opener against Athletic Club, with Ben White the latest name to join the growing absentee list.
The defender, who started the Premier League opener against Manchester United but has since been battling a knock, missed Arsenal’s last two games before making the bench against Nottingham Forest. However, he was not included in the squad that travelled to Bilbao this week.
Mikel Arteta confirmed more bad news during his pre-match press conference, revealing that captain Martin Odegaard and winger Bukayo Saka both absent from Monday’s training session—will also play no part in Tuesday’s clash.
Odegaard has suffered a recurrence of a shoulder issue sustained against Forest, though he will not require surgery. Saka, meanwhile, continues to recover from a hamstring problem picked up last month. Arteta admitted the timeline for his return remains unclear:
“I think there are still quite a lot of things to go through [for Saka]. It’s very early to understand when and which week he’s going to be available. But he will certainly be pushing to be available as quickly as possible,” the Arsenal boss said.
With long-term injuries already ruling out Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus, Arsenal now face the trip to Spain without five key first-team players.
There is, however, some positive news for supporters. William Saliba and Christian Norgaard are back in contention after overcoming fitness issues, boosting Arteta’s defensive and midfield options.
Arsenal’s summer signings Viktor Gyokeres and Martín Zubimendi were always expected to slot straight into the lineup, but the club’s growing injury list has also handed opportunities to other names. Noni Madueke, in particular, is expected to feature prominently against Athletic.
The former Chelsea winger, who lifted the Europa Conference League last season, has never played in the Champions League proper. He came close in 2021 with PSV Eindhoven, only to fall short at the final qualifying stage against Benfica. Tuesday’s clash could therefore mark his long-awaited debut on Europe’s biggest stage.
