Odegaard working hard to return from injury that "could have been worse"
Today at 11:30 AM
Martin Odegaard has shared his first update on his widely discussed ankle injury, revealing he feels fortunate that it wasn't more severe.
The Arsenal captain suffered ligament damage during Norway's 2-1 win over Austria earlier this month and is expected to be sidelined until November.
Until now, Odegaard had remained silent on the injury, but in his captain’s notes ahead of Wednesday’s Carabao Cup clash with Bolton, he spoke about the rehabilitation process that lies ahead.
“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,” relayed the midfielder.
“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.”
Aside from one minor ankle issue, also sustained on international duty, Odegaard has been a near ever-present for the Gunners since he first arrived on loan from Real Madrid. Having avoided the treatment room for so long, he admits being sidelined is taking some getting used to.
“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 said.
“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.”
So far, Arsenal have managed to remain unbeaten without Odegaard despite tough assignments at Sp*rs, Atalanta and Manchester City. In addition to tonight’s match, it’s expected he’ll also sit out encounters with Leicester, Paris Saint-Germain, Southampton, Bournemouth and Shakhtar Donetsk. As things stand, he’s also a doubt for the Liverpool and Newcastl
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