Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard was seen having a long and lively discussion with manager Mikel Arteta after being substituted in the Gunners’ hard-fought 1-0 win over Sporting CP in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
The Norwegian playmaker replaced Kai Havertz in the 70th minute and scored the winning goal.
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Before returning to the bench, Odegaard appeared to explain the physical problem to Arteta, visibly grimacing and pointing to his leg.
BBC Sport Arsenal reporter Alex Howell said:Martin Odegaard has dropped out and seems to be limping a bit. He underwent treatment before being replaced by Kai Havertz. He also had a long chat with Mikel Arteta before sitting on the bench. ”
In his post-match comments, Arteta admitted that the substitution was “partly tactical” but also a “precautionary” measure given the player’s recent poor health.
Martin Odegaard’s season was ruined by injury
Odegaard’s apparent limp will be a major concern for Arsenal supporters. That’s because the midfielder endured a “nightmare” season in 2025/26, plagued by repeated problems.
| period | injury | Games missed |
| September 2025 | shoulder injury | 3 |
| October 2025 | knee injury | 8 |
| February 2026 | muscle damage + knock | 4 |
| February-March 2026 | Recurrence of knee joint | 7 |
Odegaard injured this season Transfer information
He only recently returned to the starting lineup after a month-long break due to a knee problem, but the “muscle strain” in Lisbon means he will miss the second leg and the all-important Premier League.
With Arsenal currently without Bukayo Saka and Julian Timber, another loss of creativity would be a devastating blow to their hopes of a historic European and domestic double.
