Another injury blow for Arsenal as Piero Hincapie sent home from Ecuador camp

The Ecuadorian national football team continued their preparations this Sunday at the Estadio Ontime Butarque in Leganes, Madrid, but they did so without a key defensive figure. Hincapie was the notable absentee from the session as the squad prepared to travel to Eindhoven for their upcoming friendly against the Netherlands. The defender pulled out of the squad due to a physical issue, with no risks being taken at this stage of the season. The decision for the player to leave the camp was made collectively by the Ecuadorian FA and Arsenal medical staff to ensure the problem does not escalate further.

Ecuador head coach Sebastian Beccacece is also feeling the impact of Hincapie’s departure as he looks to fine-tune his squad ahead of the World Cup. The Argentine tactician was forced to conduct the final session in Madrid without several first-team regulars, who remained off the grass at Butarque while the rest of the group prepared for their friendly with the Netherlands. Besides Hincapie, Ecuadorian FA also revealed that Denil Castillo has been sent home.

Hincapie situation is the most pressing for Arsenal as Mikel Arteta has already had to navigate several fitness issues across his back four this season. Losing a player of Hincapie's tactical flexibility would be a major setback for the north London side. The 24-year-old has established himself as a vital component of the Arsenal defensive unit since his high-profile move to the Premier League. His ability to slot in at both left-back and central defence has made him an invaluable asset during the current campaign.

Arsenal have already seen three players sent home from England duty - Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka and Noni Madueke - while Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba had to pull out of the Brazil and France squads respectively.

The club will now wait for the results of the medical tests to determine if Hincapie can feature in their next Premier League outing. With the domestic season reaching its business end, the Gunners will be hoping for a positive update sooner rather than later. Arsenal face Southampton in the FA Cup quarter-finals next week, and then travel to Sporting in the Champions League.

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