Hincapie and Zubimendi to miss Lille match due to injuries, says Mikel Arteta

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta confirmed that defenders and midfielders have been struck by injuries ahead of the team’s UEFA Champions League fixture against Lille at Emirates Stadium, according to Punch Newspapers. Both Piero Hincapie and Martin Zubimendi will miss the European encounter after sustaining injuries during a post-match training session held following Arsenal’s 2-1 Premier League victory against Leeds United on Saturday, as reported by the BBC.

Arsenal Suffer Double Injury Blow Ahead of Lille Match

The additional session was arranged at Emirates Stadium for squad members who either did not feature or did not play the full 90 minutes against Leeds. Hincapie entered the match in the 82nd minute, while Zubimendi remained an unused substitute on the bench, according to The Independent. Arteta described the situation as far from ideal during his pre-match news conference.

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Arteta Defends Training Schedule After Fitness Setbacks

Both players missed Monday training sessions ahead of Tuesday’s match, with medical staff scheduling further scans to determine the exact severity and recovery timelines. Arteta noted that Hincapie’s ankle injury appears more serious than Zubimendi’s. Arteta defended the scheduling decisions, stating that players require ongoing physical load and rhythm to maintain match impact.

Very easy, you don’t train. If they never train then they don’t get injured, but the consequence to that is when they are needed play they have no rhythm and when you ask them to play they are going to have no impact in the game.

Hincapie and Zubimendi to miss Lille match due to injuries, says Mikel Arteta — Photo: Punch Newspapers

The manager added that such contact incidents during small-sided drills can occur unexpectedly, noting that similar post-match sessions had been conducted safely numerous times previously. Footage of goalkeeper Illan Meslier carrying Hincapie off the pitch rather than waiting for a medical staff stretcher drew brief attention, though Arteta declined to discuss the matter publicly.

Saliba Returns to Training as Arteta Weighs Squad Options

Hincapie has made three Premier League substitute appearances this term alongside a start against Napoli, while Zubimendi has featured five times from the bench domestically. Riccardo Calafiori, Jurrien Timber, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Mikel Merino, Bruno Guimaraes, and Declan Rice provide tactical alternatives for Arteta’s defensive and midfield configurations. William Saliba has returned to individual training on the pitch after recovering from a back injury sustained at the World Cup over the summer, according to the Daily Mail.

Press Conference | Mikel Arteta previews Lille | UEFA Champions League

Arteta cautioned that his competitive return remains weeks away, with potential availability targeted before or after the November international break depending on his rehabilitation progress after spending over a week building his workload capacity on the grass.