Arsenal - Group
Arsenal - Group
Arsenal are waiting for more news on Cristhian Mosquera after the defender missed the victory against Chelsea due to a muscle problem**.** Mikel Arteta says the injury does not look serious, but Mosquera could now be a doubt for the Champions League game away at Napoli, as per latest injury news.
Cristhian Mosquera misses Chelsea clash
Mosquera was substituted in the closing stages of Arsenal’s victory over Aston Villa last weekend. Arteta said he took him off as a precaution, but the defender could not train before Sunday’s game against Chelsea. As reported by Standard, Arteta confirmed that Mosquera has a “muscular issue” after he was left out of the squad. The Arsenal boss remains hopeful that the problem is not serious, but the club will need to watch his recovery over the next few days.
“Yeah, so he had a muscular issue, and we think it’s not too much, but we need to wait and see in the next few days how this evolves,” Arteta said. Mosquera’s absence did not stop Arsenal from earning three points. The Gunners fell behind early when Morgan Rogers netted the first goal, but Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard completed the comeback. The result kept Arsenal’s strong start going and gave them another boost in the Premier League.
Mosquera now faces Napoli fitness test
Arsenal will now focus on Europe. The Gunners travel to Italy to face Napoli in the Champions League next week, but Mosquera might not be able to recover before the game. As reported by AOL, Mosquera was not seen in Arsenal’s training pictures during the week. That has raised further questions over whether he will be available to face Napoli.
The timing of the injury is not ideal for Arteta. Arsenal have several important games coming up, with the Napoli trip followed by another Premier League match against Sunderland in a few days**.** Mosquera has become an important option in Arsenal’s defence since arriving at the club. His absence could put more pressure on the other defenders, especially with William Saliba and Jurrien Timber also dealing with injuries.
The situation also shows why Arsenal’s decision to sign Ezri Konsa could prove important. The summer signing came into the starting XI against Chelsea and made his first full start for the club.
Arsenal Football Stadium - Emirates Stadium
Arsenal Football Stadium - Emirates Stadium
Cristhian Mosquera’s Arsenal stats for the 2025/26 season, as per FOTMOB–
Competition Appearances Defensive Contributions Tackles Duels Won(%)
Premier League 20 94 32 50%
FA Cup 3 16 2 53.3%
EFL Cup 2 13 3 46.7%
Champions League 10 38 11 50%
Ezri Konsa earns Arteta’s praise
Konsa had only played 11 minutes for Arsenal before starting against Chelsea. Despite his limited game time, the defender handled a difficult test against Joao Pedro. The 28-year-old was often up one-v-one against the Chelsea forward, but handled the task well. He had his biggest moment when he made a strong sliding tackle to halt a Chelsea counter-attack in the second half.
The challenge was met with a huge reaction from the Arsenal fans. Arteta joked that it was a “very English tackle”and praised Konsa’s performance. “The way he played tonight against this opponent, playing man-to-man against Joao Pedro, he was phenomenal,” Arteta said. Konsa’s performance was a major positive for Arteta after the summer move from Aston Villa. The defender cost Arsenal £51 million and could now have an even bigger role if Mosquera is forced to miss more games.
For now, Arsenal will wait to see how Mosquera’s injury develops. Arteta has suggested that the problem is not serious, but the defender’s absence from training means his availability for Napoli remains uncertain. With a busy run of football ahead, Arsenal will hope Mosquera can return quickly and avoid adding another long-term problem to their defensive injury list.
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