Arsenal’s hard-fought 2-1 victory over Leeds United on Saturday should have been a cause for celebration, but Mikel Arteta has been handed another injury concern after Piero Hincapié reportedly suffered an ankle problem during the post-match warm-down.
The Ecuadorian defender was introduced as an 82nd-minute substitute for Riccardo Calafiori and appeared to come through his brief appearance without any problems.
However, according to BBC Sport journalist Sami Mokbel, Hincapié had to be carried off during the warm-down after being seen clutching his right ankle.
It is an incredibly frustrating development, particularly considering the defender had only just returned to fitness after missing Ecuador’s international fixtures.
Another setback after Arsenal’s defensive injury concerns
Only last week, Arsenal received some encouraging news when Hincapié, Ben White and Cristhian Mosquera returned to training, offering Arteta some much-needed defensive reinforcements.
Hincapié’s return was especially welcome after he remained in North London during the international break to work on his fitness.
Saturday’s victory was also important for Arsenal, who needed to respond to their disappointing defeat against Brighton.
As we reported in our Arsenal 2-1 Leeds match review, Calafiori’s equaliser and Bruno Guimarães’ winner rescued three valuable points after James Justin had given the visitors the lead.
Hincapié’s late introduction was one of Arteta’s tactical changes as Arsenal looked to protect their advantage.
Unfortunately, what should have been a straightforward warm-down has now created another question mark over the manager’s defensive options.
(Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
Could Hincapié miss Arsenal’s Champions League clash with Lille?
Arsenal return to European action on Tuesday evening when Lille visit the Emirates Stadium, and Arteta will be hoping this latest incident proves nothing more than a minor knock.
There has been no official confirmation of the severity of Hincapié’s injury or whether he will be available for selection.
Any absence would be disappointing for the 24-year-old, who has already endured a disrupted start to the campaign.
Arteta does have alternatives, with Calafiori currently occupying the left-back position and Myles Lewis-Skelly another option if required.
After the positive team news ahead of the Leeds encounter, this is certainly not the update Arsenal supporters wanted to hear.
Hopefully, the coming days will bring some reassurance about Hincapié’s fitness.
What do you think, Gooners? Footage circulating on YouTube appears to show Hincapié struggling to walk before eventually being carried off the pitch. Does this look like another worrying injury setback for Arsenal, or are we getting ahead of ourselves before the medical assessment? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
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