Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has expressed concern over Bukayo Saka’s injury after the winger was forced off early in Wednesday’s 2-2 UEFA Champions League draw against Bayern Munich, with the severity of the problem yet to be established.
Saka was forced off in the 10th minute at the Allianz Arena on October 21, after going down in pain while attempting to play a pass. The England international clutched his left thigh before being replaced by Eberechi Eze.
Arteta said the club’s medical team was concerned about the injury, which he identified as a quadriceps problem, but stressed that its severity remained unclear.
“They are a bit concerned about Saka. When a player has to come off with sharp pain it is never good news. We have to wait and see,” Arteta said.
The Arsenal manager added that the injury did not look good, leaving the club waiting for further assessment to establish the extent of the problem.
Saka’s early withdrawal came during a closely contested encounter in which Arsenal recovered from falling behind to secure a point against the German side.
Eze, who came on for Saka, opened the scoring for Arsenal in the 25th minute. Bayern responded through Alphonso Davies before Harry Kane converted a second-half penalty to put the hosts ahead.
Declan Rice salvaged a 2-2 draw for Arsenal with a late equaliser, ensuring the English side left Munich with a point despite the setback involving Saka.
Rice said Arsenal had to maintain their tactical discipline against a Bayern side that applied pressure across the pitch.
“I’m so happy. When you play against teams like Bayern that are man-to-man all over the pitch, you have to apply certain principles. I just kept running, lost my marker and I was in on goal to score,” Rice told TNT Sports.
Arteta praised both teams for their attacking approach and described the contest as one of the highest levels of football his side had played, highlighting the intensity required to compete in such matches.
He also pointed to the physical demands of elite European football, referencing the previous night’s Champions League encounter between Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona as an example of the intensity involved.
“The level of intensity this game requires as well is something incredible. The level that you need, it’s unbelievable. It’s the highest level and those things happen, unfortunately,” Arteta said.
The injury leaves Arsenal awaiting clarity on the availability of one of their key attacking players, with no confirmed recovery timeline provided in the immediate aftermath of the match.
For now, the club’s priority is to establish the extent of Saka’s quadriceps injury, with Arteta acknowledging the concern while stopping short of confirming how long the winger could be sidelined.
