William Saliba Played the Full Carabao Cup Final Despite Lingering Ankle Issue

London—Arsenal defender William Saliba completed the full 90 minutes of Sunday’s Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester City at Wembley, only for the French Football Federation to confirm 24 hours later that the center-back is now sidelined with “recurring pain” in his left ankle.

The 24-year-old’s appearance against City ended Arsenal’s pursuit of a historic Quadruple, and it has now emerged that Saliba was nursing an ankle sprain throughout the showpiece occasion. The injury had already forced him to miss the FA Cup tie with Mansfield Town and the Premier League visit of Brighton & Hove Albion earlier in February.

France announced on Monday that Saliba has withdrawn from upcoming friendlies against Brazil in Foxborough, Massachusetts, and Colombia in Landover, Maryland. In his place, Crystal Palace’s Maxence Lacroix has received a maiden Les Bleus call-up and will report to Clairefontaine before the squad departs for the United States.

Medical staff have prescribed a minimum ten-day rest period for Saliba, placing him in a race to be fit for the business end of Arsenal’s season. The Gunners remain in contention for three trophies, beginning with an FA Cup quarter-final at Southampton on 4 April. Three days later they travel to Lisbon for the first leg of a Champions League quarter-final against Sporting CP.

Arsenal have faced only lower-league opposition en route to the last eight of the FA Cup, and Saliba has featured just once in the competition, playing 61 minutes. With Southampton currently sixth in the Championship, Mikel Arteta’s side will hope to progress even if rotation is required.

The initial rest phase is scheduled to conclude at the start of April, after which club medics will reassess the defender’s availability for the decisive weeks ahead.