Arsenal captain Odegaard to miss Champions League opener

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard won’t function of their Champions League opener with Athletic Bilbao on Tuesday after struggling a recurrence of a shoulder damage.

Odegaard was pressured off throughout the first half of Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest on Saturday following a collision with Morgan Gibbs-White.

The Norway midfielder had been troubled by a shoulder damage earlier than the current worldwide break, and supervisor Mikel Arteta confirmed that Odegaard had not travelled with the squad to Bilbao for the Gunners’ first recreation of the league section having sustained one other blow to the identical space.

Bukayo Saka stays out with a hamstring situation, whereas Kai Havertz (knee) and Gabriel Jesus (ACL) are each nonetheless unavailable.

On Saka, Arteta instructed a pre-match press convention: “I feel he’s nonetheless various issues to undergo, very obscure what week he’s going to be obtainable.”

Arsenal reached the semi-finals of the Champions League final season, beating Actual Madrid within the quarter-finals earlier than shedding to eventual winners Paris Saint-Germain.

Requested concerning the Gunners’ prospects on this season’s competitors, Arteta mentioned: “We all know it’s going to be a extremely lengthy journey. It’s important to give your self one of the best likelihood to win the sport.

“We’re ok that we will compete with any opposition on the day. It’s important to have two issues go your approach. It’s important to have a full squad obtainable and must put the ball within the internet when the probabilities come your approach.”

Regardless of their early damage issues, goalkeeper David Raya revealed the Gunners are brazenly speaking about focusing on glory in each the Premier League and Champions League.

Arsenal have taken three wins from 4 to start out the Premier League, their solely loss a 1-0 defeat to reigning Premier League champions Liverpool at Anfield.

Even with that setback, the Gunners are nonetheless dreaming of the double.

“We’re [talking about winning both],” mentioned Raya.

“We’ve perception, we need to win, we’re Arsenal and we play to win, that’s not a doubt. That’s what we play soccer for. It’s an extended journey within the Champions League and the Premier League.”