Premier League

Arsenal nightmare or Arteta plan: FIFA virus sees 10 early returns as Gunners dream of treble

Arsenal are chasing silverware on three fronts, but a wave of early returns from international duty has left Mikel Arteta facing a mounting fitness scare.

DAVID CLIFF

Alberto P. Sierra Calum Roche

Update: Mar 31st, 2026 02:22 EDT

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Arsenal have the chance to wrap up a historic season. The Gunners lead the Premier League by nine points over City, are in the FA Cup quarterfinals, and have Sporting Clube waiting for them at the same stage of the Champions League. A treble remains possible, after their EFL Cup defeat. They are guaranteed to have seven league matches, one FA Cup game and two Champions League matches still to play, with five more potential games across the two knockout competitions – three in the Champions League, between the semifinals and final, and two in the FA Cup at the same stages should they advance. The run of up to 15 matches, the most important stretch in the London club’s recent history, is fast approaching, but the “FIFA virus” appears to have hit Arteta hard, with as many as 10 internationals returning early because of various fitness issues. Or is it all part of a Gunners’ master plan?

Which Arsenal players have returned from international duty?

The latest player to be released by his national team was Martín Zubimendi. The Spanish soccer federation announced that the Basque midfielder was leaving camp because of discomfort in his right knee. After playing 13 minutes against Serbia, the pain led the national team’s medical staff, in communication with Arsenal’s, to prioritize Zubimendi’s “health” and decide that the best course of action was for the player to return to England. Far from being an isolated case in Spain, Arsenal players have come back en masse from international duty during this break. In England, there is already talk of an injury crisis within the squad, with reports putting the number of possible absences at 12, including players who were already out – one of them not to be confirmed until the next squad announcement.

Arsenal’s situation is especially striking because, of the 19 players called up by their national teams, only nine remain in camp. All of it comes on the eve of crucial dates for the club. Caution has been turned up to the maximum in the offices at Colney.

Madueke’s frustration

England released Noni Madueke, Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze at different points. The last of those players was called up but never even made it to camp. The forward suffered a calf injury in the Champions League and had already missed the EFL Cup final against Manchester City. Rice and Saka, meanwhile, spent barely a day with the Three Lions. The FA issued a statement announcing that they would return to their club to “undergo medical assessment,” without specifying the exact nature of the problem. Thomas Tuchel did not do so either, defending the decision as his own and saying only that the players were dealing with specific issues. “Saka and Rice wanted to play, but it made no sense to take a risk, either for them or for us. Clearly, they had some issues. There was a risk of making the situation worse.”

Madueke’s injury was the clearest of the lot. The winger left the field looking upset on Friday night in the 1-1 draw with Uruguay. Reports in England said he was seen leaving with a brace on his left leg. Tuchel played down the concern and said his recovery time would be measured in days.

Arsenal nightmare or Arteta plan: FIFA virus sees 10 early returns as Gunners dream of treble — GLYN KIRK

Doubts in defense: Saliba, Gabriel, Timber, Hincapié

The back line is the area with the biggest fitness concerns. The EFL Cup final ruled William Saliba out of France’s squad, with Maxence Lacroix, the Crystal Palace defender, taking his place. The French federation confirmed a left ankle injury, along with a prescribed 10-day rest period. That timetable would allow him to return for the upcoming FA Cup quarterfinal against Southampton. Another player who was spared was Jurriën Timber with the Netherlands. The Dutchman has been injured since Arsenal’s last Premier League match against Everton.

Gabriel was the latest defender not to log any minutes during this international break. Called up by Brazil, he dropped out after playing in the EFL Cup final, and before that in the Champions League and Premier League. A right knee injury led Brazil to release him from two demanding friendlies against France and Croatia. In the first of those, Raphinha even went off injured.

One of the few defenders who did play minutes was Piero Hincapié. The Ecuador international featured against Morocco at the Metropolitano and was substituted in the 72nd minute because of a knock. After undergoing the relevant medical tests, his federation released him from camp ahead of the game against the Netherlands in Eindhoven.

Trossard, left out

Another player spared from international duty was Leandro Trossard. The forward did not play for Belgium against the United States or Mexico after an agreement between the Belgian federation and the club allowed him to continue his recovery in London, having recently suffered a hip injury.

Arsenal’s potential risks

David Raya, Christian Mosquera, Riccardo Calafiori, Ben White, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Christian Nørgaard, Gabriel Martinelli, Viktor Gyökeres and Kai Havertz are still away with their national teams in very different circumstances. Although most of them still have friendlies ahead as part of World Cup preparations, giving national team coaches more room to rotate, Italy and Sweden are leaning heavily on both Calafiori and Gyökeres in the playoffs as they chase a place at the World Cup.

The Swedish striker, whose numbers at Arsenal have been more modest than they were at Sporting – 16 goals in 42 matches – actually delivered one of his best performances of the season during this international break, scoring a hat trick against Ukraine in the playoff semifinal. Both he and Calafiori now have one extremely demanding final still to come for a spot at the World Cup – Italy vs Bosnia and Sweden vs Poland, respectively. It is the kind of high-pressure context that always increases the risk of ending up in the treatment room.