🚨Mikel Arteta reveals how many matches Declan Rice will miss following his injury🟢

Mikel Arteta reveals how many matches Declan Rice will miss following his injury

Mikel Arteta has provided the latest update on the injury to Arsenal star Declan Rice ahead of the Champions League clash with Inter

Mikel Arteta reveals how many matches Declan Rice will miss following his injury
Mikel Arteta has provided the latest update on the injury to Arsenal star Declan Rice ahead of the Champions League clash with Inter Milan

Declan Rice will miss Arsenal’s Champions League clash with Inter Milan due to injury, and his availability for Sunday’s Premier League fixture against Chelsea is also in doubt. The 25-year-old midfielder played the full 90 minutes in Arsenal’s 1-0 defeat to Newcastle on Saturday, his ninth Premier League appearance of the season.

Rice has been a near-constant presence for Arsenal, with the only top-flight game he missed being the victory over Tottenham—though that absence was due to suspension after a controversial red card against Brighton. However, Rice was conspicuously absent from training at London Colney this morning and did not join Mikel Arteta’s squad on their flight to Milan.

In a press conference on Tuesday, Arteta confirmed that a knock Rice sustained at St. James’ Park is behind his absence, and the midfielder will undergo further assessment later in the week to determine his readiness for the Chelsea game.

“Declan Rice unfortunately picked up an injury against Newcastle,” Arteta said. “He was able to finish the game but hasn’t been feeling well over the past few days. We’ll assess him on Thursday and see if he’s ready for Chelsea.”

Arsenal star Declan Rice
On a positive note, Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard is nearing a return to first-team action after recovering from an ankle injury that has sidelined him since early September. Odegaard, who last played in Arsenal’s 1-1 draw with Brighton in late August, trained normally today and travelled to Italy with the rest of the squad.

“It’s great to have Martin back,” Arteta said. “He trained with us for the first time today, a bit ahead of schedule. We’ll decide if he’ll play tomorrow.”

Arsenal’s defence has also been strengthened with Gabriel Magalhaes returning to action at Newcastle, though defenders Riccardo Calafiori and Takehiro Tomiyasu remain out. Arteta’s side has had a strong start in the Champions League, amassing seven points from three games without conceding a goal.

Inter Milan, their upcoming opponents, are also in good form, sitting seventh in Serie A and having collected seven points in their Champions League group. Inter’s campaign opened with a goalless draw against Manchester City, followed by wins over Red Star Belgrade and Young Boys, making for a highly anticipated clash at the San Siro.