{"id":29684,"date":"2026-04-11T07:21:33","date_gmt":"2026-04-11T07:21:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eplvip.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/11\/arsenal-star-mikel-arteta-returns-from-injury-with-cards-close-to-heart\/"},"modified":"2026-04-11T07:21:33","modified_gmt":"2026-04-11T07:21:33","slug":"arsenal-star-mikel-arteta-returns-from-injury-with-cards-close-to-heart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eplvip.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/11\/arsenal-star-mikel-arteta-returns-from-injury-with-cards-close-to-heart\/","title":{"rendered":"Arsenal star Mikel Arteta returns from injury with cards close to heart"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Arsenal have Julian Timber, Bukayo Saka, Riccardo Calafioli, Piero Hincapie and Martin \u00d8degaard listed as injury doubts ahead of their Premier League game against Bournemouth.<\/h2>\n
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April 10, 2026, 14:23<\/span>Updated April 10, 2026 14:40<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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Mikel Arteta gave the latest information in his pre-match press conference<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n
Manager Mikel Arteta has confirmed Eberechi Eze will be available for Arsenal’s Premier League game against Bournemouth on Saturday, but declined to give updates on several other star players.<\/p>\n
Eze returned to training on Thursday following a calf injury and is ready to rejoin the team. It was speculated that the midfielder could be out for six weeks, but Arteta confirmed in his pre-match press conference that he is fit again.<\/p>\n
“He’s free,” he said. “Then, when I had my first conversation with him, I got the feeling that he wanted to be available the next week. That just wasn’t possible. The recovery, the resilience he showed, the way he persevered.”<\/p>\n
Arteta also praised Eze’s mentality on the sideline. The 27-year-old has been sidelined since the 2-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen on March 17 and has been working hard to regain fitness.<\/p>\n
Follow the Arsenal FB page! For the latest Gunners news and details, visit our dedicated Facebook page.<\/p>\n
read more: Jamie Carragher issues Premier League ultimatum as Mikel Arteta warns of Arsenal’s failings<\/span><\/span>read more: Arsenal club boss confirms offer, eyes on summer move for Spanish star<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
“One of them, I didn’t know he was so determined, so tenacious, so willing to push himself in a really powerful way,” Arteta said. “When you take away the opportunity to play, you can see the reaction. The energy he brings to the team.”<\/p>\n
Julian Timber, Bukayo Saka, Riccardo Calafioli, Piero Hincapie and Martin Odegaard all missed Thursday’s training session, raising doubts about their availability for Saturday’s 12.30pm kick-off against Bournemouth in north London.<\/p>\n
Asked about injuries, Arteta decided to keep his cards close to his chest. “Yes, there has been a change since yesterday,” he said cryptically.<\/p>\n
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Eberechi Eze ready to return (Image: 2026 DeFodi Images)<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
When I pressed him further, he simply replied, “I don’t know. Some of them.” He then asked Hincapie if he was feeling well, to which he replied, “There will be a change tomorrow.”<\/p>\n
Odegaard came on as a substitute in Tuesday night’s 1-0 win over Sporting, a game in which Timber, Saka and Hincapie were absent.<\/p>\n
Arsenal are also without midfielder Mikel Merino, who suffered a stress fracture in his foot in January that required surgery. Asked about the Spain international, who is keen to represent his country at this summer’s World Cup, Arteta said: “Well, he’s also a player who wants to push all boundaries.”<\/p>\n
“He has already had a lot of practice. He has responded well to the surgery and is not in pain. We are confident that there is a chance to shorten the surgery period.”<\/p>\n
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Arsenal enter the weekend nine points behind second-placed Manchester City with a game in hand. After facing Bournemouth, the Gunners face Sporting in the Champions League quarter-final second leg on Wednesday before facing City next Sunday.<\/p>\n
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