Norway team doctor Ola Sand says Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard will miss at least the next three weeks due to the ankle injury he sustained against Austria on Monday.
Odegaard left the field in Oslo in tears midway through the second half after being caught by Christoph Baumgartner and was pictured yesterday boarding a plane to London using crutches.
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After initial tests, Sand says the injury could have been worse but believes the midfielder will be sidelined for the rest of September.
He told Norwegian newspaper VG: “Such ankle injuries often take at least three weeks. Anything other than that is just a bonus.
“Ankle injuries are very painful right away. With Martin, it was extremely painful. He became very worried. They [Arsenal] are studying the MRI images, and have sent them on. No fracture is suspected. In the event of a fracture, we are talking about being out of action for six weeks plus.”
Should Sand’s prognosis of a three-week absence be correct it would come as a major blow to Gunners boss Mikel Arteta.
Odegaard would miss Sunday’s North London derby with Tottenham, as well as the crunch Premier League trip to title rivals Manchester City the week after and the home game with Leicester City on September 28.
There are also two Champions League fixtures slated for the next three weeks with a game at Atalanta on September 19 and a home clash with Paris Saint-Germain on October 1.
Worrying scenes at Ullevaal Stadium. Seems that our captain Martin Ødegaard twisted his ankle. Just had to leave the pitch unfortunately … pic.twitter.com/JEPoT0KUi8
— Jan Aage Fjørtoft 🇳🇴 (@JanAageFjortoft) September 9, 2024
Sand said it was not the first time Odegaard has suffered from an ankle problem, having missed 17 days of action three years ago after being injured against Gibraltar.
“He has had it before,” he said. “It is always a bit difficult to interpret an MRI image when you have had an old injury. But Arsenal are almost certain there is no fracture. But this may still take some time.
“Regardless of the MRI images, his response to the rehabilitation in the next few weeks is the most important. It will start carefully on the bike, carefully in relation to what he can tolerate from a pain perspective. Then you take it gradually.”
Norway coach Stale Solbakken is hoping the former Real Madrid man is back for the next international fixtures with Norway playing Slovenia in Oslo on October 10 and Austria in Linz three days later.
Solbakken said: “It is difficult for us if we are going to play without Martin, considering that it is Slovenia at home and Austria away. He is probably the one who has been the least injured of those who are completely bombproof in the XI under me.
“Martin has been present the whole time. Now we get into a new situation, if that happens. But I don’t know anything more. It can take longer and it can go faster. It’s an individual thing, too. It’s not quite overnight with three weeks. Then it’s not the worst ankle injury on earth. There is hope.”
