Arteta issues Calafiori update after Shakhtar injury scare: ‘We’ll do our best’ | OneFootball

Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta confirms that Italy defender Riccardo Calafiori still needs further assessments to understand the full extent of his potential injury, but suggested that his previous record of recovering from injury is an encouraging sign.

Calafiori went off during Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League on Tuesday night, having twisted his knee in a concerning incident mid-way through the second-half.

Arteta adds to latest Calafiori injury update

Riccardo Calafiori in Champions League action for Arsenal against Shakhtar Donetsk (picture via www.arsenal.com)

Reports in Italy on Thursday suggested that the injury is not as severe as first feared, and that Calafiori had suffered some minor damage to his medial collateral ligament (MCL). If that proves to be the case, then the former Bologna’ centre-back could potentially return in a couple of weeks, rather than months.

However, Arteta insists that the versatile defender will need to undergo a few more tests.

“He needs some more tests. Yesterday he had some, today he’s going to have some more and after that we will know,” Arteta said during his pre-match press conference on Friday.

Calafiori had a big injury scare earlier in the season as well, but in the end he was able to return in time for the team’s following game. That precedent is something that encourages the Arsenal boss.

“Last time we thought it was really bad and he ended up playing two or three days after, so let’s see how it is,” Arteta added.

Still, Arteta has a small hope that Calafiori could still be available by the weekend when Arsenal face Liverpool in the Premier League. He joins Jurrien Timber and England international Bukayo Saka on the list of doubts.

“We’re going to do our very best to somehow have them available but it’s very uncertain,” Arteta confirmed.