Arteta Defends Arsenal Players' International Withdrawals

Mikel Arteta, the current coach of Arsenal, defended the club's players who withdrew from international duties during the latest break, which saw nearly half of the 228 players called up for World Cup qualifiers and friendlies pull out. Arteta rejected suggestions that the withdrawals were due to stress or injury caution, asserting that every decision was medically justified.

Notably, William Saliba withdrew from France's duties due to an ankle injury, while his defensive partner Gabriel Magalhães faced a knee issue. Other players, including Eberechi Eze, Martin Ødegaard, Jurriën Timber, and Leandro Trossard, also missed the recent Carabao Cup final against Manchester City due to injuries.

Arteta confirmed that Eze would miss the FA Cup quarter-final against Southampton, while Ødegaard and Timber are expected to return. He noted that players like Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka also withdrew due to injuries, emphasizing that the players remain eager to represent their countries.