LONDON: Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said on Friday that captain Martin Odegaard could be missing until after the November international break due to the Norwegian’s latest injury setback.
Odegaard set an unwanted record by becoming the first player in Premier League history to be substituted before half-time in three consecutive starts when he came off with a knee injury against West Ham on October 3.
The 26-year-old had previously struggled with a recurring shoulder problem this season.
“It will be weeks. No definite date for his return, but he’s evolving well. Very unlucky, what’s happening with him and his injuries this season,” Arteta said ahead of Arsenal’s trip to Fulham on Saturday.
“It could be (after the next international break), but we’ll have to see how he progresses, how the knee’s healing, how he manages after the next steps in his rehab, so too early to give an answer,” he added.
Despite Odegaard’s disrupted start to the season and other injuries to Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, William Saliba and Noni Madueke, Arsenal have stormed to the top of the Premier League.
The Gunners lead title rivals Liverpool by one point after seven games as they seek to go one better after finishing third for three consecutive seasons.
Viktor Gyokeres was signed to end Arsenal’s need for a prolific striker.
The Swede, though, has so far scored just three times in 10 appearances and has not netted in his last eight matches for club and country.
Arteta backed the 27-year-old to come good and claimed to have been pleased with Gyokeres’ all-round performances so far.
“He brings so much to the team and watching the games back, I’m very pleased with what he’s given to the team,” added Arteta.
“I told him before the first meeting, ‘the nine that I want is a nine that when he doesn’t score for six or eight games, he can handle that. If not, you have to go somewhere else because the pressure, the expectation is going to be there.’
“If you put the number nine shirt on for Arsenal, you have to be able to say: ‘six games I don’t score, am I different player? Do I act in a different way?’
“I want much more of the same of what he’s doing. Once we have those opportunities, put them in. I’m sure it’s going to happen.”
‘Very unlucky’ Odegaard faces weeks out, says Arteta
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‘Very unlucky’ Odegaard faces weeks out, says Arteta
- “It will be weeks. No definite date for his return, but he’s evolving well,” Arteta said
- The Gunners lead title rivals Liverpool by one point after seven games
Euro 2028 to kick off in Cardiff, final set for Wembley
- The semifinals and one quarter-final will also be held at Wembley
- “At UEFA EURO 2028, we will all speak football – loud, clear and united,” UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin said
LONDON: Cardiff will host the opening match of the 2028 European Championship on June 9, with the final scheduled for London’s Wembley Stadium on July 9, tournament organizers UEFA announced on Wednesday.
The tournament, co-hosted by England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland, will feature 51 matches involving 24 nations across nine venues in eight cities, also including Birmingham, Dublin, Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle.
The semifinals and one quarter-final will also be held at Wembley, while the other last-eight matches will be staged in Dublin, Glasgow and Cardiff.
Matches in the round of 16 will be distributed across all host venues, with the exception of Wembley. Host nations that qualify for the tournament directly will see their group-stage matches played on home soil.
“At UEFA EURO 2028, we will all speak football – loud, clear and united,” UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin said in a statement.
“The host nations, where the game first took shape, are eager to welcome millions of fans into legendary stadiums...
“In the way matches are staged – including a new, more convenient kick-off time for the final ... we want to maximize the fan experience.”
UEFA has confirmed three kick-off times for the tournament: 1400 GMT, 1700 GMT and 2000 GMT.
The tournament is projected to generate 3.6 billion pounds ($4.83 billion) in socio-economic benefits for the UK and Ireland between 2028 and 2031, according to an independent assessment, UEFA said.
These benefits include job creation, regional prosperity and spending from international visitors.
The UK Government, Scottish Government, Welsh Government and Government of Ireland have collectively pledged up to 740 million pounds ($993.15 million) in funding to ensure the “event is safe, secure and offers a world-class experience” for fans and host communities alike.
“The scale of the tournament will have a really positive impact on communities throughout the country,” England FA CEO Mark Bullingham said.
“This will be a tournament for the fans, with their experience at the heart of our planning.”
In May, Europe’s soccer governing body UEFA said England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales would participate in qualifying for Euro 2028, with only two spots reserved if they do not make it to the tournament.
England finished runners-up at Euro 2024 while Scotland were knocked out in the group stage. Wales and Ireland did not qualify for last year’s tournament hosted by Germany.
Belfast has been chosen to host the Euro 2028 qualifying draw, scheduled to take place in Northern Ireland’s capital on December 6, 2026.
