Mikel Arteta admits that the quadriceps injury Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka suffered in the 2-2 Champions League draw against Bayern Munich “does not look good at all”, as fears grow that the England star is facing an extended period on the sidelines.

The 25-year-old went down in the 10th minute at Allianz Arena – attempting to play a pass with nobody around him – and had to be replaced by Eberechi Eze, who went on to score the opening goal against Bayern.

“They are a bit concerned. A player who has to come off with a really sharp pain is never good news but we have to wait and see,” Arteta told TNT Sports.

Saka has had numerous fitness issues over recent months, most notably an Achilles problem in March, with his game time after the World Cup managed as a result.

While he helped Arsenal to Premier League glory and started the Champions League final loss to PSG, Saka only went on to start three of England’s eight games at the World Cup.

The forward also has a history of hamstring issues, having undergone surgery that forced him to miss 101 days during the 2024/25 campaign.

However, he remains pivotal to Arteta’s side and his latest issue against Bayern will be a major concern, especially when Arsenal’s win percentage rate is notably higher when Saka plays.

Saka loss will be a blow to Arsenal

Despite the loss of Saka early on in the game, Arsenal still produced a good performance and could have won the match late on after Declan Rice’s late equaliser.

“The only negative is seeing one of their star players, Saka, having to pull up with an injury early in the first half,” said Champions League Match of the Day pundit Nedum Onuoha.

“He was lying on the floor with his hand up and he knew he was in a bit of trouble, so now the concern will be how long he is out for.

“It’s not necessarily something that means the team will struggle heavily, but there is a reason why he is regarded as one of the best players in this Arsenal team and is seen as being important for them.”

With Saka forced off, Noni Madueke, who had started on the left wing, switched to the right and looked bright, while Eze was also impressive after coming off the bench.

And Onuoha believes their squad strength could see them cope, if Saka is ruled out for a significant period.

The pundit added: “This is one of the reasons their squad has been built the way it has been and I think Madueke and Eze did well on the wings today after Saka came off.

“In terms of options, at this moment in time for Arsenal, it is not going to be an issue – they will miss the star power that he has, they still have plenty of other wide players who can step up and do the job while they wait for him to come back.”