Arsenal and France now face a setback as William Saliba has had to withdraw from international duty due to an injury. Saliba played through the entire Carabao Cup final, where Arsenal fell 2-0 to Manchester City, but it has since come to light that he suffered a problem with his left ankle. This injury has ruled him out of France’s upcoming games against Brazil and Colombia.

The French Football Federation released a statement confirming that Crystal Palace’s Maxence Lacroix will step in for Saliba, marking Lacroix’s debut call-up to the senior national team. According to the federation, Saliba is dealing with recurring ankle pain that requires treatment and at least ten days of rest.

This is tough news for Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, who was already missing Eberechi Eze due to injury during the Carabao Cup final. Like Saliba, Eze has also been ruled out of England’s upcoming internationals, with Harvey Barnes called up to take his place. Arteta revealed after the final that Eze has a calf injury and will undergo further scans to assess the extent of the damage.

Losing both Saliba and Eze as the season heads into its crucial phase is a significant blow for Arsenal, especially with the team still pushing for a treble. They currently top the Premier League, holding a nine-point lead over second-place City, though City have a game in hand which could narrow the gap to six points with seven matches remaining.

Arsenal are on track to secure their first Premier League title since the 'Invincibles' season of 2003/04. In recent years, they’ve come close, finishing second three consecutive seasons, so this opportunity feels particularly important. In addition to the league, Arsenal remain contenders in the FA Cup and Champions League, with quarter-final ties against Southampton and Sporting, respectively.

Arteta will be hoping the international break offers Saliba enough time to recover and get back to full strength ahead of those crucial matches. Saliba had struggled with ankle issues before this season, missing key fixtures, including the win over Brighton and the FA Cup victory against Mansfield Town in March.

If Saliba’s recovery takes longer than hoped, Arsenal could turn to Cristhian Mosquera as cover. The 21-year-old defender, signed last summer, has shown promise and experience when called upon. He’s made 25 appearances across all competitions this season, starting 14 times. His most recent outing was in that Brighton win, where he filled in for Saliba and helped keep a clean sheet.

Injury troubles never come at a good time, but Arsenal will be keen to manage these setbacks carefully as they push to make a strong finish across all fronts.

Riccardo Calafiori doesn’t want to hear any talk about leaving Arsenal for Napoli or Inter Milan. He’s made it pretty clear: his “dream” with Arsenal isn’t ending any time soon.

This season, Calafiori has really made a name for himself as Mikel Arteta’s top choice at right-back, racking up 18 starts for Arsenal, who are sitting at the top of the Premier League. Last year, he had to wait his turn thanks to Myles Lewis-Skelly’s breakout, but now Calafiori is a fixture in Arteta’s lineup whenever he’s healthy.

He did hit a bit of a bump over the winter; a muscle injury kept him off the field for nine matches, which drove him crazy. After landing on the bench against Bayer Leverkusen during the week, people expect him to jump back into the starting eleven for the Carabao Cup final against Manchester City at Wembley.

Sure, Italian rumours won’t die down; whispers about Calafiori heading home to Serie A just won’t go away. Inter Milan reportedly really wants him, and Napoli has him on their list for the summer transfer window. But when someone asked if he ever gets homesick, Calafiori was honest: “I miss the sun, and I’d love to see friends and family more, but I’m not complaining." In Italy, people love to judge and criticise. It’s not like that here, and I love it.”

So why did he leave Italy for the Premier League two years ago? He says, “I’ve always wanted to play in England. After the European Championship, my value went up, and my agent told me Arsenal really wanted me. I knew the Premier League was tough, but I told myself I could always go back. And let’s be real: Arsenal is Arsenal. There’s nothing like it.”

Calafiori has been huge for Arsenal this year, with the team fighting for trophies on all fronts. He’s hungry for a win: “I need it, I want it, and it would mean a lot. We’re young, full of energy, and talk about our goals every day, but there’s a calmness here, too.”

When it comes to the Italian national team, Calafiori’s upbeat. He says the squad is fired up for their World Cup play-off semi-final against Northern Ireland. “We’re positive, really pumped, and desperate to make it to the World Cup. I can’t wait to get back to Coverciano and spend time with my teammates. Our history shows that when we stick together, we can challenge anyone, especially if we get to play in the United States.”

He’s confident Italy can make it as long as they play their game, even though there’s some negativity among fans. Whoever wins between Italy and Northern Ireland will face Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina for a place at the World Cup.

“If we play like we know we can, we’ll qualify,” he says. “On paper, we’re stronger. We just need to believe in ourselves. There’s negativity around, but I know the team and fans will unite. The goal is still right there; we just have to stay together.”