Arsenal Faces Lille With Hincapie and Another Player Injured

Arsenal will host Lille at Emirates Stadium in their first home match of this Champions League campaign, with manager Mikel Arteta facing selection concerns over injuries and several potential lineup changes. The Gunners aim to secure a second consecutive European victory after defeating Napoli 1-0 away from home in their opening league phase match.

According to Arsenal's official website on October 13, 2026, the team has been preparing for the encounter through training sessions ahead of the visit from the French side. The match also marks Arsenal's first Champions League home fixture in almost five months.

Martin Odegaard secured Arsenal's opening European win with a late goal against Napoli. That result gives Arteta's side an opportunity to build on its winning start as Lille arrives in north London.

However, injuries are complicating Arsenal's preparations. The Evening Standard reported on October 13 that Piero Hincapie and another player would miss the Lille match following injuries, with further medical assessments expected to clarify their conditions.

Arteta confirmed the immediate impact of the injuries while speaking to reporters on Monday.

"They're both going to miss tomorrow's match, that's for sure," Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said.

The manager also indicated that the club was awaiting additional medical information before determining the expected recovery periods for the two players.

"Today they're going to have a further scan and probably tomorrow we'll know more and then we'll see how they're going to go," Arteta said.

The Evening Standard reported that Hincapie's injury appeared more serious than the other player's. Third-choice goalkeeper Illan Meslier carried Hincapie from the pitch, although the available information did not establish a definitive recovery timeline.

Arsenal could turn to Myles Lewis-Skelly at left-back if Hincapie remains unavailable. Arteta may also consider resting Riccardo Calafiori, who has been managed cautiously after making three appearances for Italy during the extended international break.

Several other players could feature as Arteta adjusts his lineup. Mikel Merino is a potential option in midfield, while Eberechi Eze and Viktor Gyokeres could have opportunities to start.

At right-back, Jurrien Timber remains an alternative to Ben White as Arsenal continues to distribute playing time between the two defenders. The final selection will depend on Arteta's decisions ahead of the home fixture.

Arsenal enters the match seeking to extend its European record to two wins from two league phase games, while the fitness concerns leave the manager with several positions to assess before facing Lille.