Arsenal have been dealt a huge injury blow regarding midfielder Lucas Torreira.
The Gunners confirmed via their club website that the midfielder suffered a fractured right ankle after being stretchered off in midweek.
A heavy challenge on the Arsenal man ended his FA Cup tie prematurely away to Portsmouth on Monday night, and could also have ended his season too.
With Mikel Arteta’s men desperate to close the gap on the top four and end the season with silverware, the loss of Torreira is a huge blow.
While no recovery period has been announced as of yet, the midfielder will be fortunate if he is to play any part in the rest of the current campaign.
The Arsenal boss claimed that Torreira was in high spirits despite the news, as they await confirmation on the length of his lay-off.
“He was quite positive this morning,” Arteta commented on Torreira’s injury in his pre-match press conference, as reported by Sky Sports News.
“We don’t know the [full] extent of the injury.
“It’s part of football, we have to adapt. It happens to other teams, we cannot cry about it.”
Arsenal have endured a torrid season, with their hopes of European glory dashed by a shock exit to Olympiacos in the Europa League.
Any hopes of a return to European competition rest on whether they are able to win the FA Cup, with the Gunners booking their place in the quarter-finals, or on their ability to finish the season strong and climb the table.
With the number of injuries starting the pile up for Arsenal, they are outsiders to challenge for a European spot, but given how tight the race for the top five is anything can happen.
The loss of Torreira will hurt the Gunners though, as his influence in midfield will be sorely missed, and Arteta will be hoping that it will be best case scenario regarding his return to fitness.
