An unexpected and heavy blow has landed on Arsenal's plans for the new season. According to the report, the club anticipate that French international defender William Saliba will miss a significant part of next season, with the 25-year-old centre-back expected to be sidelined for 4-5 months. The news directly affects the defensive planning Arsenal have been working on throughout the summer.
The moment the injury unfolded was dramatic. Saliba collapsed to the ground under no pressure in the 29th minute of Tuesday's France-Spain World Cup semifinal, immediately after Mikel Oyarzabal had opened the scoring from the penalty spot. He is reported to have told his defensive partner Dayot Upamecano that he could no longer bear the pain and that his back was "gone," repeating "my back is gone, my back is gone" as he left the pitch.
The background to the injury stretches back months. According to the report, the Arsenal centre-back had been going above and beyond to play through the pain barrier with strong painkillers and courage; for months he had managed chronic back pain through painkillers and a light training programme. France's medical staff are said to have followed the same protocols Arsenal had implemented. Saliba, who said in late June, "I've had some minor niggles for several months. I've been gritting my teeth because there was the Champions League and the Premier League, but the coaching staff are handling it very well," had even faced doubts before the tournament over whether he'd make the squad at all.
The most striking detail concerns a communication gap. Outgoing France head coach Didier Deschamps may not have known the full picture regarding Saliba's pain, reportedly relying in particular on feedback from the player himself and the medical staff. Surgery is now the likeliest outcome, which could keep Arsenal's centre-back sidelined for months. The club are expected to be without Saliba even for the pre-season Community Shield clash against Manchester City.
Source: L'Équipe
Image: Yahoo Sports
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