Mikel Arteta defends 11 Arsenal players for pulling out of international duty as Gunners' treble battle intensifies

The scale of Arsenal's recent fitness issues became a major talking point during the March international break, with the Gunners accounting for nearly half of the Premier League's total international withdrawals. Out of 23 players across the division who dropped out of their respective squads, 11 were from the north London club, sparking debate over whether the club was being overly cautious as they hunt for silverware on multiple fronts.

Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Arteta addressed the club's coordination with international teams, stating: "We have very good relationship and communication with most of the national teams - certainly with Thomas [Tuchel] too. We have been extremely supportive all the time. When you have to communicate the state of every player, we are always honest and a medical decision had to be made. That was clear what the conclusion was."

Arteta was quick to dismiss any notion that his players were looking for excuses to avoid representing their nations. With Arsenal currently leading the Premier League and competing deep in the domestic cup competitions, the Spaniard emphasised that the players themselves were desperate to feature for their countries but were ultimately sidelined by genuine physical setbacks.

"When you are fit and available to play for the national team, you have to play," the manager added. "It makes us so proud that we had that many players in the national team. Players are desperate to play for their nation. I know how important it is to them. We are fully supportive of that and when we can do it, we do it."

The injury list grew significantly following Arsenal's Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester City. William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes were among the first to withdraw with ankle and knee problems respectively, followed by Martin Odegaard, Jurrien Timber, and Eberechi Eze. The situation worsened once players joined their camps, with Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, and Martin Zubimendi among five others who returned to London Colney early.

The list includes a wide array of talent across various positions, including Leandro Trossard, Noni Madueke, and Piero Hincapie. Arteta remains coy about exactly how many of these stars will be available for the upcoming FA Cup quarter-final against Southampton, opting to keep his cards close to his chest ahead of the trip to St Mary's.

As Arsenal prepare for the business end of the season, Arteta has made it clear that rotation and squad fitness will be vital to their success. With a potential treble still on the cards, the manager is focused on fielding the strongest possible side for every remaining fixture, starting with the clash against the Saints as they look to move one step closer to Wembley.

"You will see. I will let you do the speculation. You can judge afterwards," Arteta noted regarding his team selection. "We are in a position right now where we need to make the strongest line-up we possibly can to win every competition. We are two or three games away from the FA Cup and we know how important that competition is for us."