Martin Odegaard suffered a knee problem against Sporting CP and missed Arsenal training on Thursday, but Norway boss Stale Solbakken does not believe the injury is serious. Arsenal received a major boost with Eberechi Eze returning to training ahead of the Bournemouth clash.
Martin Odegaard appeared to suffer a knock during Arsenal’s clash against Sporting CP(Image: Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Norway manager Stale Solbakken has played down concerns over Martin Odegaard’s latest injury setback. Arsenal suffered another blow when their captain was substituted during the match against Sporting CP.
Odegaard required medical attention after experiencing knee discomfort and was subsequently withdrawn in favour of Kai Havertz. He seemed to walk off the pitch without difficulty, though the Gunners’ talisman was absent from Thursday’s training session.
The 27-year-old had only just returned at the weekend following more than a month on the sidelines. He featured in the FA Cup loss to Southampton before being named in the starting XI against Sporting.
Odegaard was unavailable for Norway’s fixtures against the Netherlands and Switzerland in the build-up to this summer’s World Cup. The ex-Real Sociedad startlet had been sidelined since Arsenal’s north London derby encounter with Tottenham in February.
Solbakken has sought to ease worries surrounding any problem Odegaard may have picked up. Speaking at a press conference at Ullevaal Stadium, he doesn’t believe it’s a serious concern.
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“He got a little one (bang) where he shouldn’t have gotten it, but I don’t think it’s pitch black,” he said. “We don’t need any more setbacks now,” he added.
Former Norway defender Jesper Mathisen had previously expressed alarm on TV2. “Those are scary images,” he said after Odegaard went down.
“Like watching a horror movie. A nightmare. He’s not sitting down for no reason. It would have been a big loss for both Arsenal and Norway if he had to go out with an injury again.”
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Arsenal will be looking to build on their victory over Sporting when they host Bournemouth at the Emirates. The north London club received a welcome injury boost after Eberechi Eze returned to training ahead of the Premier League fixture.
The summer signing made his comeback from a calf injury that ruled him out of the Carabao Cup final and England’s international friendlies against Uruguay and Japan. He was spotted at London Colney on Thursday and appears to be in the frame for a return to action.
Riccardo Calafiori, who started alongside Odegaard against Sporting, was notably absent from the session, however.
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