Saliba’s Early Exit Impacts France’s World Cup Bid
William Saliba, the Arsenal defender, was forced to leave the pitch after just 30 minutes during France’s World Cup semi-final match against Spain. This early departure occurred while Les Bleus were already trailing 1-0. The injury is understood to be a back issue that has reportedly affected him for several months.
Saliba went down without contact, indicating to the bench that he required treatment. Journalist Julien Laurens reported that Saliba told medical staff, “My back is gone, my back is gone.” He was able to walk off the field with assistance from two members of the team’s medical staff, being replaced by Crystal Palace centre-back Maxence Lacroix.
The incident occurred shortly after Spain took the lead through a penalty. Mikel Oyarzabal converted the spot-kick in the 22nd minute after Lucas Digne fouled Lamine Yamal in the area. Questions arose regarding a potential handball by Yamal in the build-up, but VAR did not intervene.
Concerns for Arsenal Ahead of New Season
The injury to the 25-year-old defender raises significant concerns for Arsenal, with the Premier League season approaching. Saliba had been managing this back issue for some time, playing through discomfort during Arsenal’s Premier League title chase and their run to the Champions League final.
Prior to the World Cup, there were suggestions that Saliba might need to withdraw from the France squad. Despite this, he completed 90 minutes in five of France’s first six matches in the tournament, reportedly undertaking minimal training between games.
Spain extended their lead after the break with a goal from Pedro Porro, securing a 2-0 victory and advancing to the final. France’s defeat means they will now contest Saturday’s third-place play-off.
Arsenal will likely want Saliba to return to London for a full medical assessment as soon as possible. The possibility of surgery is a concern, as an operation would likely result in a prolonged period on the sidelines. This could impact Arsenal’s plans in the transfer market, as Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta consider their options.
The Premier League champions are scheduled to begin their title defence against Coventry City in just over a month. Saliba had been a crucial player for Arsenal, contributing to their first Premier League title in 22 years, and had also been a solid performer for France throughout the World Cup.
Mixed Fortunes for Arsenal Players in World Cup
While Saliba’s injury was a setback for France and a concern for Arsenal, there was positive news for Arsenal’s Spanish contingent. Mikel Merino, David Raya, and Martin Zubimendi have all progressed to the World Cup final.
Among them, Mikel Merino has featured prominently, earning praise for his performances, which included late winning goals in successive knockout rounds. They now await the winner of the semi-final between England and Argentina. If England advances, Arsenal could have as many as seven representatives in Sunday’s final.
Arsenal’s season is set to commence with the Community Shield against Manchester City on 16 August, followed by their Premier League opener against newly-promoted Coventry five days later.
Read Also
Source: arseblog.news
George Hartwell is the Senior Football Correspondent at News-GB.org, covering the Premier League, the EFL and the England national side with twelve years of reporting experience. He reported on West Country football before national coverage. He holds a degree in Sports Journalism from the University of the West of England and completed an NCTJ diploma. Based in Bristol, he watches grassroots football and writes a tactics column. “Tactics tell you more than any scoreline.”