By 90min | Created at 2024-11-07 17:33:06 | Updated at 2024-11-15 10:00:58
1 week ago
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has played down any serious concerns over Kai Havertz after the German forward had to be removed with blood pouring down his face during Wednesday's loss to Inter.
Havertz led the line for the Gunners on their Champions League trip to San Siro, failing to find the net as the visitors fell to a controversial 1-0 loss. After Hakan Calhanoglu's first-half penalty, Arsenal had most of the ball and racked up 20 shots without ever really coming close to finding a way beyond Inter's Yann Sommer.
The visitors were still pushing in stoppage time as Havertz challenged Yann Aurel Bisseck at the back post. Arsenal's forward came off worse. Sommer hurriedly urged medical staff to attend to Havertz, whose face was soon covered in blood.
Arteta allayed any concerns over the German's health after the midweek defeat, revealing: "Kai, he has a big cut. He had to come off because he needed some stitches. Hopefully, he will be OK for the weekend."
Kai Havertz received extensive medical treatment in Italy / Marco Luzzani/GettyImages
Havertz wasn't the only Arsenal player forced off with injury. Mikel Merino did not emerge for the second half after taking a blow to the head of his own.
The Spanish midfielder was at the epicentre of two penalty decisions. Shortly before he was penalised for a handball in Arsenal's box, Merino was denied a spot kick after Sommer missed a cross and inadvertently punched the visiting player.
"No, he was not concussed," Arteta explained. "Yesterday and today he was already not feeling great and when I looked at that I decided to take him off because I need him 100%."
While Havertz and Merino appear to have avoided any lasting damage in a dismal loss, Arteta was also able to welcome back his much-missed captain Martin Odegaard. The talismanic playmaker has sat out the last two months with a sprained ankle, but has been eased back into training in recent days and made a cameo appearance at San Siro.
Arteta will need as many players as possible for a Premier League visit to Chelsea's Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
