Arsenal Faces New Injury Worry as Christos Tzolis Leaves Greece Match After Ignoring Substitution

Christos Tzolis, Arsenal’s winger, encountered a muscular injury early in Greece’s game against the Netherlands, causing concern for his club as he initially refused to leave when the coach wanted to substitute him.

Tzolis's Early Exit Raises Alarm

The attacker was forced off just 18 minutes into the UEFA Nations League clash held in Thessaloniki, which ended in a 2-2 draw. Grabbing his leg and visibly upset, he received urgent medical care on the field, covering his face with his shirt.

Following treatment, Tzolis seemed to move without too much trouble and appeared determined to stay on the pitch. This led to an unusual confrontation between him and Greece’s head coach, Ivan Jovanovic.

Substitution Dispute Explained by Greece Coach

Jovanovic shared details of the incident with Sport24, revealing that he ordered Tzolis to be substituted as a precaution but was met with resistance.

"How can I handle it, you tell me? I’m his coach, I tell him to come out and he says, ‘I’m not coming out.’ It was a scene everyone nearby could see," Jovanovic said. "I suspected something was wrong, so I insisted on the substitution."

The coach emphasized that his decision was based on medical advice, stating that they have qualified doctors who advised that Tzolis should not continue playing due to a muscular issue.

"When it comes to muscular problems, along with doctors' immediate input, that was why I asked for him to come off immediately," Jovanovic added.

Injury Adds to Arsenal's Fitness Concerns

After some back and forth, Tzolis finally agreed to step off the field. Jovanovic remains hopeful that the injury is minor, saying, "We don’t know the full extent yet, but I hope it’s just a twitch or something temporary."

This injury adds to an already challenging international break for Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta. Midfielder Kai Havertz also picked up a knock during the same match, increasing pressure on the club's medical staff.

Club captain Martin Odegaard suffered a heavy challenge from Portugal’s Bernardo Silva but managed to recover quickly and was cleared to play against Norway.

Looking Ahead: Uncertainty for Arsenal

Tzolis is expected to miss Greece’s upcoming Nations League fixture versus Germany as further assessments are planned to understand the damage fully.

Arsenal will be eager for positive updates before domestic football resumes, especially with a packed schedule ahead. Losing important players like Tzolis for extended periods would be a setback the team cannot afford.

• Match: Greece 2-2 Netherlands (Nations League)
• Tzolis playtime: 18 minutes before injury
• Injury type: Muscular
• Other Arsenal injuries: Kai Havertz (knock), Martin Odegaard (challenge but fit)
• Next Greece match: Against Germany (Nations League)