Martin Odegaard breaks silence on ‘bad’ injury and gives update to Arsenal fans

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard says he suffered ligament damage after his ‘bad’ ankle injury but believes he is already ‘making progress’ on his return from the treatment room.

Odegaard has missed Arsenal’s last three games – including the north London derby and Sunday’s huge clash at Manchester City – after suffering an injury injury in Norway’s win over Austria earlier in the month.

The 26-year-old was forced to hobble off during the Nations League fixture and subsequent tests showed he had sustained ligament damage which Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta described as ‘quite significant’.

Arsenal have been coy over the timeframe for Odegaard’s return but reports have suggested the midfielder could be sidelined for around eight weeks.

Odegaard addressed his injury setback for the first time in his programme notes ahead of Arsenal’s Carabao Cup clash against Bolton Wanderers on Wednesday night.

‘It’s been a while since my last programme notes, so I thought I would start with the latest on my injury,’ he said.

‘It was a bad twist to my ankle, and I damaged some ligaments there, but it’s part of football and now I’m just trying to recover as quickly as I can.

‘I’m moving forward, making progress and I’m feeling more positive every day. I’m working hard and my only thought is to get back as soon as possible.

‘I’m at the Sobha Realty Training Centre basically every day now, working hard and doing everything I can do to get better.

‘I have to be careful not to push it too much, but at the same time do what I can to make sure I come back as strongly and quickly as possible.

‘I’m trying to support the team in a different way now, if I can’t be on the pitch. That’s my situation, and I have to make the best out of it.’

Odegaard said the injury was ‘unfortunate’ and ‘scary’ as he felt a unique pain in his ankle as he was limping off the pitch.

‘I’ve been quite fortunate, if that’s the word, or have done well to avoid injuries in the past, but this is football and I have to get on with it,’ he added.

‘I think it was unfortunate to get the injury in the way that I did, but also it could have been worse. It was not a nice twist, and when it happened I felt it could be serious.

‘I’ve injured my ankle before and the pain felt a bit different this time. That’s what scared me, but from what happened it could have been worse, so in that sense I got away with it a bit.

‘Like any player, the first thing I asked the medical team was how long I would be out for, but it’s a bit tricky to say at the moment.

‘In the early stages, it’s crucial to get a proper rest and to make sure everything heals well. After that, it’s about getting stronger and building it up again.’

Speaking last week, Arteta admitted coping without Odegaard would be a ‘big test’ for his Arsenal team, who are hoping to mount another title challenge and compete for the Champions League.

‘The scan showed some damage around the ligaments in the ankle so we are going to miss him,’ the Spaniard said.

‘It’s something quite significant so we are going to lose him for a while. Hopefully not months.’

On the influence of Odegaard in the Arsenal team, Arteta added: ‘He’s our captain. He’s been one of the biggest and best players in our team.

‘Our identity is very linked to how he plays and behaves. It’s a big test for the team to see how able we are to show a different face.’

Arsenal have so far coped well with Odegaard’s absence, beating north London rivals Tottenham away before earning a point at Premier League champions Manchester City last weekend.

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