"He's ready to go": Arteta now confirms £45m Arsenal star is available to face Atletico
Arsenal entertain Atletico Madrid in Tuesday’s much-anticipated Champions League clash.
Ahead of the game, manager Mikel Arteta has provided good news on the injury front.
Piero Hincapie was back in team training after a groin injury last week, but the Ecuadorian did not make the matchday squad for the Premier League trip to Fulham.
Arteta has now revealed that the Fulham game came a bit too early for Hincapie. The 23-year-old has had two very good sessions and ‘he is ready to go’ against Atletico.
Arteta told reporters: “He will be available. I think [the Fulham] game came a bit too early for him, so he had another two very good sessions and now he’s ready to go.”
Hincapie is primarily a left-sided centre-back, but he can also operate from the left-back role. He made his Gunners debut as a late substitute against Athletic Bilbao in mid-September.
That was his last appearance in the matchday squad for the Gunners. He has been nursing a ‘minor groin injury‘ in recent weeks, but has now returned to full fitness.
It is unlikely that Hincapie will get the nod in the starting XI against Diego Simeone’s side. He could replace Gabriel after the hour mark if Arsenal have a resounding lead.
Hincapie was signed by the Gunners on loan this summer, but Leverkusen have confirmed that there is an obligation to buy (£45 million) if certain conditions are met.
Arsenal are presently on a five-match winning streak, but they face a testing challenge against Atletico, who have one of the best tactical coaches around in Simeone.
The Gunners have not beaten Atletico in their two competitive meetings, which were under Arsene Wenger. Atletico won 2-1 on aggregate during the 2018 Europa League semi-finals.
Back then, Arsenal had a man advantage after just 10 minutes in the first leg at the Emirates Stadium, but they netted just once from 28 shots. Jan Oblak made seven saves on the night.
Antoine Griezmann eventually scored a late equaliser for Atletico after Laurent Koscielny’s error.
Arsenal have the opportunity to avenge that result with a victory tomorrow.
Stats from Sofascore.com
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