Arsenal, exhausted from “Corona”, demands the postponement of the north London derby
Arsenal Football Club, which is suffering from an outbreak of the Corona virus in its ranks, in addition to injuries and the departure of many of its African cadres to participate in the African Nations Cup, has called on the English Premier League to postpone the north London derby against its host Tottenham, according to what the “gunners” said in a statement yesterday.
Arsenal said, “We asked the Premier League to postpone the north London derby against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday,” contrary to “our desire,” against the backdrop of the absence of many players from this important confrontation to qualify for the Champions League competition in the stage 22 competitions, “if it was due to Covid- 19, injuries or participation in the African Nations Cup.
After it was confirmed that he was infected with Corona, the Norwegian playmaker Martin Odegaard missed the last moments of his team Arsenal’s match against its host Liverpool in the first leg of the League Cup semi-final on Thursday (it ended in a goalless draw), which witnessed the injury of his Portuguese defender Cedric Soares and Bukayo Saka, to join Emil Smith. Ro and Japanese Takehiro Tomiyasu were also injured.
The Gunners also suffer from the absence of Ghanaian Thomas Partey, Egyptian Mohamed Elneny, Ivory Coast Nicolas Pepe and Gaboby Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who joined their national teams for the finals of the African Continental Championship currently being held in Cameroon.
Responding to the possibility of delaying the match earlier on Friday, Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta said: "What is highly unlikely today could happen tomorrow. It already happened in one direction when we were ready to play a match, it could happen in the other direction. But our intention is It is to play."
Arsenal is fifth with 35 points, two points ahead of Tottenham, who have two matches postponed.
Follow our latest local and sports news and the latest political and economic developments via Google news