Arsenal’s Arteta Warns of Injury Crisis Amid Packed Schedule

LONDON, England — Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta expressed concern over the increasing number of injuries affecting his team, describing the trend as a “disaster waiting to happen” as footballers contend with congested schedules.

Arteta’s warnings come after German forward Kai Havertz sustained a serious hamstring injury during a training session in Dubai, which will sideline him for the remainder of the season. The club is already grappling with injuries to key players, including Gabriel Jesus, who is recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament tear, and Bukayo Saka, who has not played since December due to a hamstring issue. Additionally, Gabriel Martinelli will be absent for the next month due to a hamstring injury.

This season has added two more matches per team in the Champions League group stage, putting further strain on players. Arsenal also advanced to the semifinals of the EFL Cup, where they were eliminated by Newcastle. The club is in a title race with Liverpool in the Premier League, and their schedule is set to expand further with the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup in the United States, which lasts a month.

Some players have openly voiced concerns that the packed schedule is detrimental to their performance and health. As the season progresses, legal challenges and possible strike actions have been discussed among players regarding the increasing demands of their schedules.

Arteta noted that the uptick in injuries within his squad is expected given the additional workload placed on players and what he perceives as heightened intensity in modern football. “You can’t prove it, and the evidence we can provide is very limited in many aspects, and each case is different, but we know that some of these injuries are based on load and minutes played. It’s inevitable,” Arteta said.

He added, “We have players who have been injured and played 130 matches in the last two seasons. Ultimately, it’s a disaster waiting to happen if you keep piling on the load.”

Arteta posed rhetorical questions about the nature of these injuries being a result of accumulated stress or perhaps even luck or training methods. “There are many factors. It’s very difficult to pinpoint something, but the calendar that is planned is super demanding, and for certain players, especially explosive ones, it’s a real problem.”

Despite the injuries, Arteta emphasized that Arsenal players “train less than ever.” He explained Havertz’s situation: the forward injured himself while attempting to stop a shot during a dead-ball situation. “He felt his hamstring go while stretching out,” Arteta explained.

As injuries continue to plague the squad this season, which has also seen players like Ben White, Martin Ødegaard, Riccardo Calafiori, and Takehiro Tomiyasu sidelined, questions have been raised about Arteta’s training methods. In response, he insisted that players are training less, diving into a detailed explanation of how playing numerous matches affects player recovery.

“The muscle is undertrained, and then you expose the muscle and tendon to a load that they cannot absorb because the tendon needs 72 hours to recover,” Arteta explained. “Many people are discussing what we’re doing outside, but it’s about what’s happening inside.”