Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has confirmed that Piero Hincapie and Martin Zubimendi will miss Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League encounter against Lille after picking up injuries during a training session following the Gunners’ 2-1 Premier League victory over Leeds United on Saturday.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Arteta revealed the development at the Sobha Realty Training Centre on Monday, October 12, explaining that both players would undergo further scans to establish the severity of their injuries.

The Spanish tactician expressed particular concern over Hincapie’s condition but declined to give a definite timeline for either player’s return.

The injuries occurred during a training session organised for players who had limited playing time in the match against Leeds, allowing them to maintain their fitness and match sharpness.

“In two very unfortunate actions, we lost two players, and yeah, not great,” Arteta said.

“We need to assess them today. They have further scans to see where they are and they will have that time frame, how long they’re going to be out for.”

Despite the setback, Arteta defended the decision to organise the session, insisting that regular training was necessary to ensure players remained prepared for competitive action.

The Arsenal boss explained that avoiding training altogether would reduce the risk of injuries but could leave players lacking the rhythm and sharpness required to make an impact when called upon.

“Very easy; don’t train. Never train, and they don’t get injured. That’s why the consequence to that is when they have to play, they have no rhythm, and when you ask them to play, they’re going to have no impact in the game,” he stated.

Arteta also noted that Arsenal had held similar training sessions 37 times during the previous season without encountering a comparable problem.

Saliba’s Return Still Weeks Away

Meanwhile, Arsenal defender William Saliba remains several weeks away from returning to competitive action, despite resuming training on grass as he continues his recovery from injury.

Providing an update on the French centre-back, Arteta indicated that his return would depend on his progress, with the November international break potentially influencing the recovery schedule.

“We’re still talking about weeks,” the manager said.

Saliba’s continued absence represents another concern for Arsenal as they prepare for their Champions League fixture against Lille.

Arteta Warns Arsenal Against Underestimating Lille

Beyond the injury concerns, Arteta has urged his players to approach Tuesday’s encounter with the necessary seriousness, praising Lille’s organisation and the work of their coach, Davide.

The Arsenal manager acknowledged the French side’s ability to trouble top European teams and warned that his players must be fully prepared for the challenge.

“What Davide has done is, I think, remarkable. You can just see the way that they are competing and playing and the problems that they have caused to big teams, and tomorrow is not going to be different until we are ready for it,” Arteta said.

He also explained that his team selection would be influenced by how he expected the match to develop, including the potential contribution of substitutes in the closing stages.

According to Arteta, matches at the highest level are often decided towards the end, making it important to select players who can influence the game from the start or provide a decisive impact later.

“Sometimes I’m going to pick a team or players in relation to what I expect, especially at the beginning, that can finish the game, because that’s where most of the games are decided, at this level as well,” he added.

Arsenal will now have to prepare for Lille without Hincapie and Zubimendi, while Saliba’s continued absence leaves Arteta with further selection decisions to make ahead of the European encounte

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has declared himself the commander of field operations for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election campaign in Abuja ahead of the 2027 general elections.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

reports that Wike made the declaration on Monday during a stakeholders’ meeting of the Rainbow Coalition in Abuja.

The meeting was attended by stakeholders from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), including party chairmen, serving and former senators, National Assembly candidates, and political leaders from the FCT’s six area councils.

Speaking at the gathering, Wike announced plans for a joint mobilisation effort involving APC and PDP members to secure victory for Tinubu in the presidential election and support candidates of the ruling party contesting National Assembly seats in the FCT.

The minister urged participants to prioritise the coalition’s shared political objective over their individual party affiliations.

Wike said the stakeholders had reached a consensus on supporting Tinubu’s re-election bid, adding that he would coordinate political activities in both the FCT and Rivers State.

“For the presidency, all of us have agreed that it is Bola Ahmed Tinubu. I am going to coordinate the FCT and Rivers State. So you can imagine how important it is,” he said.

Emphasising his role in the FCT campaign, Wike added, “I am in charge of the FCT election. I am the commander of field operations as far as the FCT election is concerned.”

He further called on members of both parties to work together, insisting that political differences should not undermine their collective objective ahead of the polls.

“I want to let all of you know that we are going to work together. Nobody should say, ‘I am PDP’ or ‘I am APC.’ For the purpose of this election, we are together,” the minister stated.

The UEFA Champions League returns on Tuesday, October 12, with 18 matches scheduled across two nights as the 2026/27 league phase enters its second matchday.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Several European heavyweights, including Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), Arsenal, Manchester United and Real Madrid, will be in action as clubs look to strengthen their positions and improve their chances of advancing to the knockout stages.

Tuesday’s key encounters include Atlético Madrid versus Manchester United, Arsenal’s clash with Lille and Galatasaray’s meeting with Barcelona. On Wednesday, defending champions PSG will travel to the Etihad Stadium to face Manchester City, while Real Madrid visit Roma at the Stadio Olimpico.

According to UEFA, the headline fixtures involving Atlético Madrid, Manchester United, Arsenal, Lille, Galatasaray, Barcelona, Roma, Real Madrid, Manchester City and PSG are scheduled to kick off at 8 pm Nigerian time.

Atlético Madrid vs Manchester United

Atlético Madrid will welcome Manchester United to the Riyadh Air Metropolitano on Tuesday as both teams seek to improve their positions following contrasting results in their opening matches.

Manchester United started their campaign with a convincing 4-0 victory over Sabah, while Atlético Madrid suffered a 2-1 defeat against Liverpool.

UEFA statistics indicate that Atlético are yet to record a Champions League group-stage or league-phase victory against English opposition, having drawn four and lost seven of their previous encounters.

United, on the other hand, have lost just one of their last 11 matches against Spanish clubs, recording seven victories and three draws.

The encounter will also feature players who have previously represented both sides. Julián Álvarez played for Manchester City from 2022 to 2024 before moving to Atlético Madrid, while Matheus Cunha featured for the Spanish club between 2021 and 2023.

United will aim to build on their impressive attacking display in the opening round, while Atlético will be desperate to claim their first points of the competition.

Arsenal vs Lille

Arsenal will host Lille at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday, looking to maintain their strong record in the Champions League league phase.

The North London club began their campaign with a 1-0 away win against Napoli, while Lille were beaten 3-2 at home by Real Betis.

UEFA statistics show that Arsenal have won 13 consecutive league-phase matches and suffered only two defeats in their last 31 European group-stage or league-phase fixtures.

The Gunners have also recorded five clean sheets in their last seven Champions League matches, underlining their defensive strength.

Lille face a challenging assignment in London, having lost their last eight away matches against English clubs.

Arsenal defender Gabriel has previous experience with the French side, having made 52 appearances for Lille between 2017 and 2020. Viktor Gyökeres has also scored against Lille, finding the net for Sporting CP in September 2024.

Arsenal will be hoping to use their home advantage to secure another victory, while Lille will seek to upset the odds and revive their campaign.

Galatasaray vs Barcelona

Barcelona will travel to Istanbul on Tuesday to face Galatasaray at RAMS Park, with both teams looking to improve their standing after the first round of fixtures.

The Spanish giants made a commanding start with a 5-1 win over Feyenoord, while Galatasaray were defeated 3-1 by Sporting CP.

According to UEFA figures, Barcelona’s last 31 Champions League matches have produced 141 goals, averaging 4.55 goals per game. However, the Catalan club have failed to keep a clean sheet in 16 consecutive matches in the competition.

Teenage sensation Lamine Yamal will be among the players to watch as he closes in on Kylian Mbappé’s record for the most Champions League goals scored by a teenager.

Yamal has scored 12 goals in the competition, leaving him one short of Mbappé’s record of 13.

Galatasaray, meanwhile, have struggled against Spanish opposition, winning only one of their last 22 encounters, alongside six draws and 15 defeats.

Their only victory against Barcelona came in November 1994, when they secured a 2-1 win. The Turkish club will hope to produce another memorable performance against the Catalan giants.

Roma vs Real Madrid

Real Madrid will travel to the Stadio Olimpico on Wednesday for a meeting with Roma in one of the standout fixtures of Matchday 2.

Madrid opened their campaign with a 2-1 victory over Inter, while Roma were held to a 1-1 draw away to Fenerbahçe.

UEFA records show that Real Madrid have won eight of their 12 previous meetings with Roma. The Italian side have recorded three victories, while the remaining encounter ended in a draw.

Madrid have also won their last four meetings with Roma without conceding a goal.

However, the Spanish giants will face a difficult test against a Roma side that has enjoyed an impressive home record, winning eight of its last nine Champions League matches at the Stadio Olimpico.

Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé could also approach a significant personal milestone. According to UEFA, he could become the youngest player to reach 100 Champions League appearances if he features in the encounter.

Manchester City vs PSG

Manchester City’s clash with defending champions Paris Saint-Germain at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday is expected to be one of the biggest attractions of the second matchday.

City began their campaign with a 2-0 away victory over Porto, while PSG delivered an emphatic performance, defeating Slovan Bratislava 6-1.

UEFA records give Manchester City the advantage in their head-to-head meetings, with four victories compared with PSG’s two, alongside two draws.

However, PSG won the most recent encounter between the sides, recording a 4-2 home victory during the 2024/25 Champions League league phase.

City striker Erling Haaland will attract considerable attention after scoring 59 goals in 59 Champions League appearances.

The Norwegian has scored 36 Champions League goals for Manchester City, matching Sergio Agüero’s club record in the competition.

PSG will look to Ousmane Dembélé to continue his impressive European form. The French forward has scored in five consecutive Champions League appearances, recording eight goals during that run.

Manchester City have lost just one of their last 25 home matches in the Champions League group stage or league phase.

PSG, however, will arrive in England with confidence, having gone unbeaten in their last 11 European matches against English clubs.

The encounter is expected to provide a major test for both sides as they seek to establish themselves among the leading contenders in this season’s competition.

Other Champions League Fixtures in Matchday 2

Tuesday, October 13

• Lens vs Sporting CP — 5:45 pm
• Sabah vs Slavia Praha — 5:45 pm
• Inter vs Club Brugge — 8:00 pm
• RB Leipzig vs PSV Eindhoven — 8:00 pm
• Viking vs Bayern Munich — 8:00 pm
• Villarreal vs Napoli — 8:00 pm

Wednesday, October 14

• Feyenoord vs Como — 5:45 pm Nigerian time
• LASK vs Liverpool — 5:45 pm
• Aston Villa vs Fenerbahçe — 8:00 pm
• Shakhtar Donetsk vs AEK Athens — 8:00 pm
• Bodø/Glimt vs Borussia Dortmund — 8:00 pm
• Real Betis vs Porto — 8:00 pm
• Slovan Bratislava vs VfB Stuttgart — 8:00 pm

The second matchday offers clubs an early opportunity to gain valuable points, build confidence and strengthen their positions in the race for qualification to the Champions League knockout rounds.