Odegaard
Image credit: Getty Images
Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard has provided a positive update on his recovery from a knee injury but admits it’s “difficult” to predict exactly when he’ll return to action.
The Norwegian playmaker picked up the knock earlier this month during Arsenal’s 2-0 Premier League win over West Ham, and he’s been sidelined ever since. The issue forced him to withdraw from international duty with Norway and miss the Gunners’ weekend victory against Fulham.
Speaking to Arsenal’s official website, Odegaard explained that he’s been working tirelessly behind the scenes to regain full fitness.
“I’ve been back for a week now [from international duty] and working every day to keep my fitness up as well as trying to heal the injury, so it’s busy days at the moment,” he said. “It’s hard work and long days in recovery, but that’s what you want and I feel like it’s going well so far.”
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Reflecting on how the injury occurred, the 26-year-old described it as a freak collision that left him uncertain about its severity at first.
“I feel like I’ve been really unlucky a few times this season. It was a knee-to-knee contact in the West Ham game, and at the time I didn’t know if it was bad or not because they can be quite painful, but normally you can run it off,” Odegaard recalled.
Arsenal Martin Odegaard knee injury
Martin Odegaard suffered a knee injury against West Ham (Image credit: Getty Images)
“So that’s why I tried to keep going, to see if it was getting better. I was hoping it was just a knock that would improve in a couple of minutes. But it didn’t get better and I felt like something was wrong, so in the end it was better to come off.”
After the match, the club’s medical team carried out a detailed assessment, confirming that the problem required rest and rehabilitation.
“As soon as we got inside, the medical team had a proper look at it. When the adrenaline stopped flowing and it settled down a bit, then it was quite sore,” he added.
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Odegaard admitted that his recovery timeline remains uncertain, as the injury affects his left leg, vital for passing and shooting.
“It’s tricky to set a return date with this type of injury because, especially it being my left leg, a lot depends on how it goes when I start getting back on the pitch,” he explained.
“Sometimes it can be quite sore when you start passing the ball and shooting and all these things with that leg, so it’s really hard to say a date. “All I can say is I’m progressing really well at the moment. I think we will know more when I start getting back on the training pitches and we’ll see how that goes. If that goes really well then it can be quick.”
While the Arsenal skipper continues his rehabilitation, Mikel Arteta’s side have maintained their momentum. The Gunners extended their perfect Champions League record with a commanding 4-0 win over Atletico Madrid, keeping them firmly in the race for both domestic and European glory this season.
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