Arsenal sweat over Saka’s injury after Bayern draw
By Tosin Omojola
Arsenal fear Bukayo Saka could be sidelined for at least six weeks after sustaining a quadriceps injury during their Champions League clash against Bayern Munich.
The 25-year-old winger will undergo an MRI scan on Friday afternoon to determine the extent of the injury that forced him off during Wednesday’s 2-2 draw at the Allianz Arena.
Fluid around the affected muscle has made the injury difficult to assess. Preliminary examinations suggest Saka could be out for a minimum of six weeks, with the possibility of a longer absence.
If confirmed, the England international will miss several crucial Arsenal matches and England’s forthcoming UEFA Nations League fixtures against Croatia and Spain.
Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta said “We need a few more scans and opinions from the specialists. When a player has to walk off the pitch, is struggling to walk without any pain and is restricted in his movement, it is not a good sign. Let’s be a little bit patient so we can give a definitive assessment. He’s got another MRI as there was quite a lot of fluid in the area, so it was quite difficult to understand the extent of the injury. We will know more tomorrow.”
Saka will miss Saturday’s Premier League home fixture against Everton, as second-placed Arsenal seek to close the three-point gap on leaders Manchester City.
The Arsenal academy graduate has struggled with fitness problems in recent months. His playing time was carefully managed towards the end of last season and during England’s World Cup campaign because of an Achilles injury sustained in March. The injury forced him to miss the March international break and seven Arsenal matches.
Saka started Arsenal’s Champions League final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain but was substituted after 54 minutes. He also started only three of England’s eight World Cup matches, although he scored a hat-trick in their 6-4 victory over France in the third-place play-off.
The forward underwent surgery for a hamstring injury sustained in December 2024, keeping him out for 101 days during the 2024-25 campaign.
Despite an injury-disrupted season, Saka made 49 appearances as Arsenal claimed the title last term.
