Arsenal have been plunged into an injury crisis after 11 players withdrew from international duty during the recent break, raising concerns over the club's pursuit of an unprecedented quadruple. The withdrawals began after the Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester City, with William Saliba (left ankle), Jurriën Timber (groin), Gabriel Magalhães (groin), Leandro Trossard, Eberechi Eze (calf), and Martin Ødegaard (knee) all pulling out of their respective national teams. Noni Madueke and Piero Hincapié also limped off in friendlies last Friday, with Madueke seen wearing a knee brace and Hincapié suspected to have a muscle injury; both are expected to miss the FA Cup trip to Southampton.
Mikel Arteta had previously expressed his unease about the international break, admitting it is a period he does not enjoy, especially given Arsenal's recent history of key players picking up injuries on duty. The Spaniard had emphasised good communication with national team managers, but the scale of withdrawals has drawn comparisons to Sir Alex Ferguson's era at Manchester United, where internationals were often dismissed as a waste of time. Meanwhile, Thomas Tuchel insisted that Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice had genuine issues and wanted to play for England, but their heavy workload means they could benefit from a prolonged rest before the Champions League quarter-final against Sporting Lisbon.
Martín Zubimendi became the 11th Arsenal player to withdraw on Monday, citing pain in his left knee. The Spain midfielder has played more Premier League minutes than any other Arsenal player this season, edging out Rice and Timber. Arteta has so far been reluctant to deploy Christian Nørgaard as a deputy, despite the Dane's experience, as the club prepares for a defining run of fixtures. Rival fans have reacted furiously to the number of withdrawals, but Arsenal remain hopeful that most injuries are minor and that players will return soon.
