“Mikel Arteta Confirms Arsenal’s Riccardo Calafiori Sidelined, Set to Miss Key Fixtures Due to Knee Injury”
“Mikel Arteta Confirms Arsenal’s Riccardo Calafiori Sidelined, Set to Miss Key Fixtures Due to Knee Injury”
Arsenal defender Riccardo Calafiori faces a stint on the sidelines following a knee injury sustained in Arsenal’s recent 1-0 win over Shakhtar Donetsk. Initial fears of a serious issue were eased after further assessments revealed only minor MCL damage, expected to keep the 22-year-old out for a few weeks.
Calafiori’s absence rules him out of the critical Champions League game against Inter Milan at San Siro next Wednesday. He’s also set to miss Italy’s Nations League matches against Belgium and France in mid-November, impacting both Arsenal’s defensive depth and Italy’s lineup.
The injury sidelines Calafiori for the London derby against Chelsea on November 10, though he could return for key matches later in the month, including Arsenal’s Champions League tie against Sporting Lisbon and Premier League clashes with West Ham and Manchester United.
Ahead of Arsenal’s Carabao Cup win over Preston, Arteta confirmed Calafiori’s recovery timeline, stating, “He will be out for a few weeks, I would say,” underscoring the likely impact on Arsenal’s upcoming matches.
Before this setback, Calafiori had established himself as a dependable option in Arsenal’s defense with three consecutive Premier League starts. Arteta also provided updates on other players: Gabriel Magalhaes, who appears to have avoided a serious injury, and Martin Odegaard, who remains in recovery and may return before the international break.
