Double blow for Arsenal.. two stars injured in a bizarre way after the Leeds win

Arsenal’s joy at beating Leeds United did not last long. What happened right after the final whistle turned into a real headache for Mikel Arteta ahead of an important European night.

Two of his players picked up injuries in a way nobody expected, not during the match but after it, and the Spaniard did not hide his frustration.

Arteta revealed that Spanish midfielder Martin Zubimendi and Ecuadorian defender Piero Hincapie were both hurt during the warm-down after Saturday’s 2-1 comeback win over Leeds at the Emirates.

“In two very unfortunate actions we lost two players,” the Arsenal boss said, explaining that both would undergo further scans before the medical staff set a timeframe for their absence.

The injuries come at a difficult time, with Arsenal facing French side Lille in the Champions League amid serious doubts over whether the pair can play.

They add to Arsenal’s growing list of absentees. Arteta had already confirmed that Christos Tzolis will be out “for a few weeks” with a muscle injury picked up on international duty, while Kai Havertz and Ezri Konsa are also doubts.

Zubimendi is one of the key pillars of Arteta’s midfield, and Hincapie gives the team several options at the back, making their possible absence a double blow during a congested run of fixtures.