Mariona Caldentey out for 8-10 weeks

Mariona Caldentey is facing a lengthy spell out after Arsenal confirmed an eight-to-10-week recovery estimate for the hamstring injury she suffered at Manchester City.

Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images

Mariona Caldentey is facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines after Arsenal put her recovery from a significant hamstring injury at eight to 10 weeks.

The midfielder was injured during Arsenal’s 4-2 defeat away to Manchester City on October 4 and came off around half-time. She subsequently withdrew from international duty with Spain.

The timetable means Caldentey is expected to miss a substantial part of the remainder of 2026.

Renee Slegers gave the clearest update on October 15, revealing that a follow-up scan had shown encouraging signs despite the seriousness of the problem.

“It’s a bigger hamstring injury and the estimation right now is between 8 to 10 weeks,” Slegers said. “But we’ll see. We’re rescanning and we did a rescan this week and the healing process looks good. Of course we’re hoping for less but it’s a bigger hamstring injury.”

Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images

The club have not confirmed the precise grade, or whether a tendon is involved. Thankfully, no operation seems required.

Slegers was specifically asked whether Caldentey had suffered a grade three hamstring injury. She did not confirm that diagnosis, instead describing it as “a bigger hamstring injury” and giving the eight-to-10-week estimate.

The timetable for recovery alone does not establish whether it is a grade two partial tear or a grade three rupture.

Counting from the original injury would place Mariona’s estimated return between late November and mid-December. Counting from Sleger’s update on Thursday would shift that towards mid-to-late December.

The positive rescan is nevertheless encouraging. Caldentey will still need to rebuild strength and flexibility and tolerate full-speed football work before being cleared to return, with the risk of reinjury an important consideration in any hamstring rehabilitation.

Her situation is clearer than that of Selina Cerci, whose precise knee procedure has not been disclosed, because Arsenal have at least provided a provisional timetable for Caldentey.

For now, however, Arsenal are preparing to be without one of their key players for much of the rest of the year, with the club hoping the healing process continues well enough to shorten an absence currently estimated at up to 10 weeks.

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