Arsenal injury news: Why Piero Hincapie 'ankle' problem could be bad news for Riccardo Calafiori after Leeds win

Arsenal defender Piero Hincapie had to be carried off the pitch during a warm-down after the club's win against Leeds United on Saturday, the latest report has claimed.

Mikel Arteta's side returned from the international break with a 2-1 victory against Leeds on the weekend at the Emirates.

That Premier League victory was hard fought, with their opponents initially taking a lead 55th minute, only for Riccardo Calafiori and Bruno Guimaraes to score and win the match.

Hincapie was brought on in the 82nd minute to help see the game out, but he played a limited role, so he took part in a warm-down after the full-time whistle.

BBC Sport report that defender was unfortunately carried off the pitch during his warm-down, and footage from fans appeared to show that the Ecuadorian had suffered an ankle issue.

© Imago / Sportimage

Why Piero Hincapie injury should spark major Riccardo Calafiori concern

Hincapie provides depth at both left-back and centre-back, and any prolonged absence would not only deprive the Gunners of a strong option in multiple positions, but it would also place more pressure on Calafiori.

The Italian scored the Londoners' first goal against Leeds, but while his involvement in the final third has been a major positive this season, he has often picked up injury issues.

Since signing for Arsenal in the summer of 2024, Calafiori has missed 44 games for club and country through injury, and he has started just 39 of the the Gunners' last 84 Premier League matches.

Only Declan Rice (three) has more assists for the club in the top flight this season than Calafiori (two), and no other player has more combined goals and assists (three).

Arteta's side have at times been accused of being lacklustre in the final third, and any injury to the Italian would blunt the Gunners further, though an absence at some point may be inevitable.

© Imago / IMAGO / Action Plus

How many games will Piero Hincapie miss with ankle injury?

The length of time required on the treatment table because of an ankle injury can vary drastically depending on the severity of the issue.

A Grade One injury may take as little as one to two weeks to recover from, and Hincapie would only miss his side's clash with Lille in the Champions League on Tuesday and Arsenal's Premier League fixture against Nottingham Forest next weekend.

However, a Grade Two issue would require two to three weeks out of action, while Grade Three injuries could take upwards of two months to recover from.

Arsenal will play eight more games before the start of the November international break, and missing Hincapie as an option against the likes of Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Everton would be a blow.