Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is waiting for further medical assessments after Piero Hincapié and Martín Zubimendi suffered injuries during a post-match training session following Saturday's 2-1 victory over Leeds United.
The setbacks came as Arsenal prepared for Tuesday's Champions League meeting with Lille, with both players absent from the club's open training session on Monday.
Hincapié's injury appeared particularly concerning. The Ecuador international had entered the game against Leeds in the closing stages but required assistance from goalkeeper Illan Meslier to leave the pitch during the subsequent session.
Zubimendi, who had remained on the bench against Leeds, also picked up an injury during the workout. Arteta confirmed that both players would need further assessment before the club could establish the extent of the damage and their likely recovery periods.
The Arsenal manager admitted that losing two players in circumstances like these was far from ideal. The session had been organised for members of the squad who had not played enough minutes to maintain their match fitness.
Asked whether the injuries could have been avoided, Arteta responded with humour, suggesting that the simplest solution would be not to train at all. However, he warned that such an approach would leave players short of rhythm and unable to make the necessary impact when called upon.
Arteta said he had not experienced a similar situation during his seven years at Arsenal, adding that injuries could just as easily occur during a regular training session the following day.
He joked that, if he could predict the future, he would send the players to the jacuzzi instead of putting them through the session.
The timing is particularly frustrating for Arsenal, who are preparing for a demanding run of fixtures. Hincapié has mainly featured as a substitute in the Premier League this season, although he started the club's Champions League victory over Napoli.
Zubimendi has also been used from the bench on several occasions in domestic competition, making his availability another consideration for Arteta as he manages the squad.
Arsenal recovered from falling behind against Leeds to secure all three points through goals from Riccardo Calafiori and Bruno Guimarães. However, the late injury setbacks have complicated preparations for the visit of Lille.
With further examinations still needed, Arsenal will have to assess both players' fitness before determining whether either can feature in the European fixture.
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