Is Ben White injured? | OneFootball

Arsenal secured a narrow 1-0 win over Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League on Tuesday, but injury concerns over Ben White left fans wondering.

White was substituted at half-time, sparking fears of an injury. However, Mikel Arteta clarified that it was a tactical decision, not an enforced one. “Ben was my decision to take him out,” Arteta said. “He had a yellow card, and we have played enough with 10 men in certain periods. They had a lot of intensity on that side, and a lot of attacking players on that side, we didn’t want to take any chances.”

While White’s substitution was precautionary, Riccardo Calafiori was not as fortunate.

LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 22: Riccardo Calafiori of Arsenal goes down with a injury as Gabriel Martinelli of Arsenal checks on him during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD3 match between Arsenal FC and FC Shakhtar Donetsk at Emirates Stadium on October 22, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

He was forced off in the second half after a nasty knee hyperextension following an awkward slip.

Arteta’s comments on Calafiori were less reassuring: “With Riccy, it’s something different. He felt something, I don’t know the extent of that so in that sense it’s not great news.”

Arsenal took the lead in the first half through an own goal by Shakhtar keeper Dmytro Riznyk, after Gabriel Martinelli‘s shot rebounded off the post and hit Riznyk.

In the second half, Arsenal missed a penalty that could have doubled their lead. Leandro Trossard‘s effort was saved by Riznyk, marking Arsenal’s first missed penalty at home since December 2021.

Shakhtar nearly equalised in stoppage time, but David Raya made a crucial save to keep Arsenal’s clean sheet intact.

Despite the win, the potential loss of Calafiori for the Liverpool match is a concern, and injuries are beginning to pile up as Arsenal face a busy schedule.