Kai Havertz injury dilemma emerges amid Arsenal selection call to be made for Atletico Madrid

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Kai Havertz injury dilemma emerges amid Arsenal selection call to be made for Atletico Madrid

Kai Havertz should be warned off rushing back from new Arsenal injury scare ahead of critical Premier League and Champions League run-in

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Arsenal face Atletico Madrid hoping to secure a strong first leg result before the return to north London next week. Mikel Arteta will face the media on Tuesday evening at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano and provide the latest team news.

Several players are of interest after both Eberechi Eze and Kai Havertz left the field during the win over Newcastle. Arteta appeared to dampen fears that either had suffered anything serious in his post-match press conference.

“In relation to the two players that you mentioned, they are muscular niggles,” he said. “We don't think it's too much. We have to wait and see if they're going to be available for Wednesday.”

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He added: “I don't know how serious [Havertz’s problem] is. It didn't look too big, because the action, the way he describes it, is not too sharp, but we'll have to wait and see.”

There is hope, therefore, that the German international could be involved this week. However, even if he is, he shouldn’t be.

Arsenal had horrendous injury problems last season, with 27 separate injuries hampering their title aims, and despite reaching two cup semi-finals, including in the Champions League, the season was still seen as a disappointment.

Havertz has not played alongside Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka since December 2024. He was robbed of the chance after a returning Saka came on late against Newcastle after Havertz had come off already.

“There are so many combinations that we haven't seen all season, unfortunately,” Arteta said ahead of the game with the Magpies. “Because we have so many situations, but the more we see certain connections, I think the better we're going to be.”

Any muscular issue at this stage can be season-ending if not dealt with correctly. The club are being extra cautious with Riccardo Calafiori and Jurrien Timber, with the hope they can still have significant impacts this season, but do not wish to rush them back.

Havertz is perhaps slightly more important to the team at this moment. However, any temptation to play the forward must be avoided through fear of the potential ramifications of costing him further during the run-in, especially with how vital the remaining games are.

Tom Canton

Tom Canton joined football.london as the Arsenal Fan Brand Writer and Presenter before becoming a permanent Arsenal Reporter in 2025. Tom produces plenty of analytical content in addition to breaking stories and is a regular attendee at matches and press conferences. Can also be found on YouTube @TheGoonerTalkTV

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