After Arsenal’s thrilling 5-3 win over Barcelona at the So-Fi Stadium in the early hours of Thursday morning, Mikel Arteta gave updates on Declan Rice and Oleksandr Zinchenko who both missed the match.

“Dec [Rice] had quite a strong kick in training and didn’t want to take the risk,” Arteta revealed. “He wasn’t comfortable to train yesterday and today, and we decided not to play him.”

Arteta’s cautious approach underscores the importance of Rice to the team’s performance.

Despite the temporary loss, the hope is to prevent a minor injury from escalating into a significant setback.

In the case of Zinchenko, the situation is less clear-cut.

Known as ‘Alex’ among his teammates, Zinchenko has again succumbed to a muscular injury. A source of concern for Arsenal’s medical staff, this follows a string of similar issues he has faced.

“With Alex, he had a muscular injury again unfortunately,” Arteta expressed. “He’s getting back – I think he’ll be back soon, but it’s a shame that he hasn’t been with us the whole tour.”

The recurrent nature of Zinchenko’s injuries is undoubtedly a point of worry for Arsenal.

As the team prepares for crucial fixtures, including the Community Shield against Manchester City, they will need all hands on deck.