'Desperate' Martin Odegaard confirms new injury setback at Arsenal

The Arsenal captain has confirmed he is once again dealing with a knee injury as he pushes to return for the Gunners. The midfielder had already missed six weeks of action due to a previous knee issue before returning last week to start in the FA Cup defeat against Southampton. However, his comeback appears to have been cut short following a flare-up during European competition.

Odegaard played an hour in the cup before starting against Sporting CP in the Champions League, but he went down off the ball during the clash in Lisbon. Despite continuing for 10 minutes after the initial contact, the injury was significant enough to rule him out of Arsenal's disappointing 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth on Saturday afternoon.

"I had to go off during the second half of that game in Portugal last week, feeling my knee, which is why I missed the game at the weekend," Odegaard wrote in his official programme notes. The captain provided a glimmer of hope for the Emirates faithful, adding: "I caught it a little bit against Sporting, but hopefully it shouldn’t be too bad."

The timing could not be worse for Mikel Arteta, with the club facing a quarter-final second leg and a potential title-decider in the same week. "I’m desperate to get back as soon as possible because this is the crucial period of the season, in the Premier League and Champions League," the midfielder continued, highlighting his personal frustration at the stop-start nature of his campaign.

Odegaard will not be involved on Wednesday night in the Champions League quarter-final second leg against Sporting. Fans will be sweating on his fitness as the team prepare for Sunday's pivotal trip to face Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium. The stakes couldn't be higher for the north London side as the title race reaches its boiling point.

A victory against Pep Guardiola's side would restore Arsenal's nine-point advantage at the top of the Premier League table. Conversely, a defeat would hand City the momentum and the chance to move to the summit before the Gunners next take to the pitch. Missing their primary creator for such a high-stakes encounter would be a massive tactical hurdle for Arteta to overcome.

Odegaard’s season has been plagued by physical issues that have prevented him from finding a consistent rhythm. The former Real Madrid man suffered shoulder problems earlier in the campaign, and these recurring knee injuries have now hampered his momentum just as the season enters its most demanding phase. The lack of their captain has been felt on the pitch, particularly in the creative department.

Odegaard has started only 13 Premier League matches and just three of Arsenal's 11 games in the Champions League this term.