Moises Caicedo has admitted the foul that injured Gabriel Martinelli was a bad tackle, and he’d take it back if he could.
Gabriel Martinelli left the Emirates Stadium in a protective boot on Sunday, after he picked up an ankle issue in a challenge by Moises Caicedo during Arsenal’s game against Brighton.
Arsenal Head of Medical Services Gary O’Driscoll called the challenge a “terrible foul”, and in fairness to Caicedo, he hasn’t denied it.
Writing on Twitter, Caicedo said: “If I could turn back time I wouldn’t have made that bad tackle.”
As it stands, we have no word on the severity of Martinelli’s injury. The player wasn’t involved in training on Tuesday, but that’s as much as we know of his condition.
It’s worth bearing in mind that these boots are often a precautionary measure, particularly so soon after the initial injury.
Bruno Fernandes was pictured wearing a protective boot next to a pair of crutches in late April, only to play in Manchester United’s very next game.
The Evening Standard report that Martinelli will have a scan on the ankle problem, with Arsenal hoping he hasn’t suffered serious damage.
Arsenal only have a couple of games left in the current campaign, so it’s difficult to imagine that Martinelli makes it back before the season ends.
The concern will be more over whether the Brazilian international is actually going to be able to take time off and rest over the coming months, or whether he’s going to need to focus on rehabbing an injury.