Arsenal midfielder Martin Zubimendi and defender Piero Hincapie will be sidelined for the club’s Champions League match against Lille after sustaining ankle injuries during their post-match warm-down, manager Mikel Arteta confirmed Monday.

Both players were hurt following Arsenal’s 2-1 victory over Leeds United at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday. Hincapie, who came on as a late substitute in the Premier League fixture, required assistance off the pitch after the incident. Zubimendi, a Spanish midfielder, also injured his ankle during the same cool-down session.

Speaking at a pre-match press conference ahead of Tuesday's home fixture against French Ligue 1 side Lille, Arteta described the injuries as “very unfortunate” and revealed that both players would miss the upcoming Champions League game. “We had a training session planned after the game for the players that didn't have enough minutes to get everybody the recovery day on Sunday, and to get everybody in the right rhythm, and in two very unfortunate actions, we lost two players,” he said.

Further medical evaluations, including scans scheduled for Monday, will determine the severity of the injuries and provide an estimated recovery period. Arteta noted that Hincapie’s injury appeared potentially more serious, but insisted that the full extent was still unknown. “We need to assess them. Today they have further scans to see where they are, and they will have a timeframe for how long they'll be out,” he added.

The injury setbacks come as Arsenal continue their campaign in both domestic and European competitions. The Gunners currently sit second in the Premier League table, trailing Manchester City by three points. In the Champions League, Arsenal begin Tuesday’s match following a victory over Napoli in their opening group stage encounter last month.

While the absence of Hincapie and Zubimendi poses a challenge for Arsenal’s squad depth, Arteta remained pragmatic about the situation. “What can you do? If I knew I had a crystal ball, I'd say, ‘Guys, go in the jacuzzi, everybody, and see you tomorrow,’” he said, underscoring the unpredictable nature of football injuries.