Martin Odegaard to Miss the North London Derby, Facing At Least Three Weeks on Sidelines

Arsenal captain could be sidelined for at least three weeks after suffering an ankle injury against Austria during Norway’s UEFA Nations League match on Monday.

The 25-year-old had to be helped off the field, following a rough tackle by Austria’s Cristoph Baumgartner which twisted Odegaard’s ankle awkwardly. While leaving the pitch, Martin Odegaard was visibly emotional and was later photographed on crutches as he boarded a flight back to London. With the highly anticipated North London Derby against Tottenham Hotspur just four days away, Arsenal will be without their influential playmaker.  

The playmaker is awaiting results from further assessments and tests of his ankle. Arsenal fans can breathe a sigh of relief as Odegaard has escaped a fractured ankle, but the Norwegian playmaker will still be sidelined for at least three weeks, missing some crucial games in the coming weeks. According to Norway’s medic Ola Sand, “Such ankle injuries often take at least three weeks. Anything other than that is just a bonus. And then it can take longer. Ankle injuries are very painful right away. With Martin, it was extremely painful. He became very worried. What we have so far obtained from the MRI examination in London is that there is probably no fracture in the ankle. In the event of a fracture, we are talking about being out of action for six weeks plus." 

Martin Odegaard’s injury comes at the worst possible time for Arsenal. Starting from 15th September, the Gunners face the likes of Tottenham, Atalanta, Manchester City and a third-round Carabao Cup tie against Bolton – all crammed into just 12 days. Besides Odegaard, Mikel Arteta will also miss the services of Mikel Merino, who suffered a shoulder injury in his first training session with Arsenal, and Declan Rice, who’s suspended for the North London Derby after getting sent off versus Brighton. To add to Arsenal’s woes, Riccardo Calafiori is also doubtful for Sunday’s crucial game against Spurs, having returned early from Italy’s training camp with a calf issue. The Gunners will need to dig deep as they navigate this challenging period without key players. 

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