Mikel Arteta admitted Bukayo Saka’s injury “doesn’t look good”, pointing to a packed calendar as a potential reason.
Arsenal came from behind to draw 2-2 with Bayern Munich, Declan Rice scoring an 82nd-minute equaliser.
Saka’s substitute Eberechi Eze gave the Gunners the lead before Harry Kane set up Alphonso Davies to equalize and then put Bayern ahead from the penalty spot.
It was only the second time Arsenal scored first, went behind but then avoided defeat in a European Cup/Champions League match, the other coming in April 2024 in a 2–2 draw with Bayern.
Despite the positive result, Saka’s performance was disrupted in the 10th minute after he stood up trying to play a routine pass, and Arteta sounded pessimistic about the injury.
“They [the medical team] we are a bit worried,” Arteta told TNT Sports.
“It’s never good news for a player to have to come out in really bad pain, but we’ll have to wait and see.”
Asked at the press conference whether the busy schedule had played a role, Arteta added: “Against Lille he didn’t start. Then he started at the weekend. And then it’s very early in the game.
“The level of intensity these games require is incredible. You can see what happened in the PSG-Barcelona game. [on Tuesday]. It’s man-to-man over 96 minutes. Every move. No breath.
“The power, the quality, the focus, the level you need is unbelievable because it’s the highest level.
“Unfortunately, these things happen. It doesn’t look good at all, but we’ll have to wait and see.”
FIGHT TO THE END
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) October 21, 2026
No Premier League side has scored more goals from substitutes than Arsenal (five goals, four assists) in all competitions this season, with Eze scoring and Viktor Gyökeres providing an assist from the bench against Bayern.
It was Rice, one of their starters, who had the decisive say as he scored his sixth Champions League goal, although it was his first away from home.
He has also been involved in five goals in his last eight games in all competitions (one goal, four assists).
“When you play against man-to-man teams, you have to apply certain principles,” Rice told TNT Sports.
“They follow you all over the field, but I lost my man and I just kept running and lost my runner and then I went in. I’m very happy. Gokeres makes a good impact even coming off the bench. He made some nice runs and set me up for goal.
“That’s what the manager has taught us. We’re not just going to come here and sit back. At home they’re probably one of the best teams in Europe, so it was really good to come here and give an account of ourselves. We’ve got to keep going.”