Riccardo Calafiori gave Arsenal a huge injury scare during Sunday’s victory over West Ham United after failing to return for the second half.
The Italian defender started his third consecutive match for the Gunners, but emerged as a doubt for next week’s clash against Burnley after picking up a knock.
Arsenal are still chasing the Premier League title and preparing for a Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain later this month.
So, supporters immediately feared another major injury setback. Mikel Arteta later confirmed after the game that Calafiori had suffered an issue during the match.
Arteta explained in his post-match press conference:
“After then at half-time we had to make another one with Richy’s injury.”
However, Arsenal may already have received a positive boost regarding the seriousness of the problem.
Shortly after Leandro Trossard scored the winning goal at the London Stadium, fans spotted Calafiori sprinting from the dugout to celebrate wildly with his teammates.
The clip quickly went viral across social media and immediately gave Arsenal fans hope that the injury may not be serious.
Arteta will likely provide another update later this week when he previews Arsenal’s final home match of the season against Burnley.
The timing remains crucial for the Gunners as they continue fighting on two fronts.
Arsenal remain in the middle of a tense Premier League title race with Manchester City, while the Champions League final now looms large at the end of the month.
A fully-fit Calafiori would be a major boost for Arteta, given the defender’s growing importance inside the squad during recent weeks.
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