Ezri Konsa has gone back to Arsenal for treatment after England ruled him out of Tuesday's game against the Czech Republic. Thomas Tuchel said the defender left camp after two fitness issues, and Arsenal now have to see whether he can make the Arsenal vs Leeds game on Saturday.
England's explanation
Tuchel said Konsa first felt discomfort when he arrived in camp, then picked up another problem during the Croatia match. "He left camp to get treatment for both of his issues now but I think nothing major but not worth the risk taking," Tuchel told football.london. He also said, "It's a knock not a muscle injury."
That distinction matters for Arsenal, even if it does not remove the concern. Konsa started two of England's first three matches in the current international break, and Tuchel added that the player had finished the training sessions in between and was ready to play before the latest setback.
Arsenal's immediate concern
Arsenal's timing is awkward. They face Leeds on Saturday, and the club have already been managing other defensive issues, with William Saliba recovering from a back issue while Ben White and Cristhian Mosquera are also pushing to return.
Konsa's recent workload has been heavy too. He has played five recent matches, averaged 90 minutes across that run, and his Premier League rating of 6.8 is a reminder that this is a defender Arsenal have relied on rather than rotated carefully. His all-competitions rating of 6.71 is steady enough, which is part of why the club will not want to lose him for long.
England's decision to release him before Tuesday's Czech Republic game was the sensible one. The issue is not described as a muscle injury, and Tuchel stopped short of sounding alarmed, but Arsenal still have a short window before Saturday.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →
