LONDON (AP) – Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka were “very keen” to play during the international break, England manager Thomas Tuchel said on Monday after the Arsenal stars were included in the squad for the league campaign. premier league leader Citing injury issues.
Over the past week, 10 Arsenal players have either not joined the national team or left camp early, as Mikel Arteta’s side chase three trophies, including a first English title in 22 years.
“The risk of aggravating the situation was too great,” Tuchel said of assessing the fitness of Rice and Saka ahead of Tuesday’s World Cup warm-up against Japan.
Midfielder Rice and winger Saka are likely to be in England’s starting XI at the World Cup and will also be key for Arsenal as they aim to win their first Premier League title under Arteta after three successive runners-up finishes.
“When we did the medical assessments, they were both clearly showing discomfort so it made no sense for them to stay,” Tuchel said, adding: “We wanted to be involved with both of them.”
Other Arsenal players who left international camp at the weekend after playing included Spain midfielder Martin Zvimendi and Ecuadorian defender Piero Hincapie.
Central defenders William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães did not take part in the teams’ warm-up games in the United States on Friday with France and Brazil, respectively. France won 2-1.
Arsenal’s intensive April schedule begins with the FA Cup quarter-final against Southampton on Saturday. The club will then face Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League quarter-final first leg three days later.
Arsenal have seven games left in the Premier League and are at the top of the table, nine points behind Manchester City, who still have one game in hand. Their next league match will be at home against Bournemouth on April 11th.
Two Arsenal players will take part in the decisive World Cup qualifying play-off on Tuesday. Victor Gokeres leads Swedish attack on Poland, days later Scored hat trick in 3-1 win against UkraineItaly, led by defender Riccardo Calafioli, will face Bosnia and Herzegovina away.
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