Team news: Arteta dealt fresh blow as Arsenal star suffers ‘significant’ injury

Arsenal welcome Olympiacos to the Emirates Stadium on Thursday night for the second leg of our Europa League last-32 tie.

Ahead of the game, the club have issued a team news and injury update on Arsenal.com which includes the latest on the fitness of Sead Kolasinac, Calum Chambers, Kieran Tierney and Cedric Soares.

Unfortunately, Arsenal’s medical team have confirmed a major injury blow after revealing Kolasinac suffered a significant injury to his right shoulder during Sunday’s 3-2 win over Everton.

Kolasinac was recalled to start at left-back against the Toffees but was forced off early in the first half after hurting his shoulder during a challenge with Djibril Sidibe. Arsenal have now suggested the injury is a serious one but no fixed time-frame has been put on his recovery until he sees a specialist this week.

The Bosnian international’s absence will come as a blow as Tierney is still on the sidelines recovering from his own shoulder injury so Mikel Arteta is without two of his left-backs. However, the good news is Tierney is due to return to full training this week so hopefully the former Celtic star will be available again soon.

Arsenal’s options in the full-back areas should be boosted further by the return of Soares to full training before the end of the month. The right-back has been nursing a knee injury since arriving on loan from Southampton in January but he’s on the verge of making his comeback.

One player who won’t be available again any time soon is Chambers as the centre-back is facing up to nine months on the sidelines with an ACL injury so Arteta will be without four defenders for the Olympiacos game tomorrow night.

The team news update on Arsenal.com said:

Calum Chambers
Left knee. Ruptured anterior cruciate ligament of his left knee during Chelsea (h) on 29 December. Successful surgery completed. Rehabilitation process expected to take between six to nine months.

Sead Kolasinac
Right shoulder. Sead suffered a significant right shoulder injury during Everton (h) on Sunday. He will undergo further specialist assessments during this week.

Cedric Soares
Left knee. Progressing well with gym work. Aiming to be in full training by the end of February.

Kieran Tierney
Right shoulder. Dislocated right shoulder during West Ham Utd (a) on 9 December. Good progress being made in rehabilitation process and has commenced participation in group training sessions. Aiming to be in back in full training by the end of February.

Arsenal head into the decisive second leg against Olympiacos holding a 1-0 lead after Alexandre Lacazette scored the winner in Athens last week so we’ll look to finish the job at the Emirates to book our place in the last-16 of the Europa League.