Arsenal have been dealt a devastating injury blow as their captain Martin Odegaard limps off injured during Norway’s UEFA Nations League win over Austria on Monday, September 9, 2024.
The 25-year-old was down to tears as he had to be hurled off in the second half after it was clear he couldn’t continue with the match.
Norway and Austria were tied at a 1-1 draw in the match when Odegaard came up worse following an awkward collision with Austria player Christoph Baumgartner.
During the collision, Odegaard’s foot was stuck to the turf. He struggled to find his balance before plunging to the ground awkwardly with his ankle twisted.
Norway medical staff hurried to the scene to attend to him but it was evident he couldn’t continue with the match and had to be helped off the pitch.
Odegaard was looking distraught and sad when he was subbed off. From the time he plunged to the ground to when he was whisked off the match, it wasn’t looking good.
He covered his face with his arms and was groaning as he curled up on the ground in pain. There are fears that Arsenal may have to sweat with a grim injury to one of their biggest midfield assets.
Norway coaching staff confirm update on Martin Odegaard injury
Norway head coach Stale Solbakken seems to have affirmed fears of a possible lengthy injury spell for Martin Odegaard following the blow. Speaking after the game, Solbakken confirmed Martin Odegaard’s injury wasn’t looking good at all in the dressing room.
“Martin Odegaard’s injury looks bad in the dressing room,” Solbakken said.
Meanwhile, Norway team doctor Ola Sand confirmed that an update on the injury situation will be due soon as they are planning to conduct an ultrasound to examine the injury situation.
Sand also seems to allay the fears of the fans when he says, “he (Odegaard) got a small ankle sprain.”
“He got a small ankle sprain. We will see; maybe we can use ultrasound to look at it,” he said.
“If we are unsure, there will be an MRI tomorrow,” he added.
A late footage shared by Fabrizio Romano shows the player on crutches, flying back from Norway to London, where he will be examined by Arsenal medical team.
How Martin Odegaard injury could affect Arsenal this season
Martin Odegaard injury could be a devastating blow to Arsenal’s bid to challenge for the Premier League title this season. Odegaard has been a cog in Arsenal’s brilliant campaigns in the past two seasons.
In the 2022-23 campaign, he scored 15 goals with seven assists in 37 Premier League appearances. In the 2023-24 season, he recorded 10 goals with 8 assists in 35 Premier League appearances.
This season, he has started all Arsenal three matches and was tipped to play a big role again in the Gunners’ domestic and European campaign.
Also, Arsenal could be heading into the North London Derby against Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend without their starting midfield should Odegaard miss the match. Odegaard’s midfield companion Declan Rice is suspended ahead of the match after a controversial red card against Brighton. A new signing from Real Sociedad, Mikel Merino, is sidelined.
Martin Odegaard injury history
Martin Odegaard has a history of frequent short-injury incidents that usually kept him on the sidelines. His worst injury record was in 2018 when he was sidelined for 89 days due to a metatarsal fracture, and luckily, he did not miss any match due to the timing of the injury.
The most number of matches that Odegaard has missed due to an injury is six. This was in the 2020-21 season when he picked up a calf injury and was sidelined for 21 days.
Last season, he missed five matches for Arsenal due to a hip problem which ruled him out of action for 15 days. The severity of the current ankle blow has yet to be ascertained. Meanwhile, it is hoped it will not be as grave as it appears.
