After 66 days out and 14 appearances for club and country, Martin Odegaard has returned to the pitch. Ahead of FIFA Days in November, the Arsenal captain played his first minutes since suffering an ankle injury in September. The Norwegian midfielder came off the bench against Inter Milan in the Champions League. The next time was the full 96 minutes of play in the Premier League draw with Chelsea.
No player has been able to return to form as quickly as Odegaard after six weeks out injured. He only had more than a day to train but was in perfect rhythm, it was amazing - Mikel Arteta was surprised.
Odegaard's return is the result of determination and discipline throughout his recovery from injury. Arsenal's medical team was pleased that he followed instructions closely, from wearing protective footwear to completing the treatment well to speed up his return to the pitch. The 25-year-old star is focusing all his attention on recovering as quickly as possible.
The Gunners captain's performance against Chelsea attracted the attention of the Norwegian Football Federation. Initially, coach Stale Solbakken did not call up Odegaard for the two matches in the Nations League against Slovenia and Kazakhstan. However, he changed his mind when he called up the 25-year-old star to the national team to assess his fitness.
Despite only being in Oslo for a short time, Odegaard still showed responsibility for the national team. However, after the reviews, he was advised to continue managing the training volume and rest to ensure a complete recovery.
Since Odegaard was injured, Arsenal have been very cautious in announcing the level. Before the North London Derby against Tottenham, Mikel Arteta had hinted at the Norwegian conductor's ability to play, which made it difficult for opponents to grasp the information.
In fact, after being injured in the national team shirt, Odegaard had to use a shield and wear protective shoes. During Arsenal's official photo shoot for the 2024-2025 season, the Emirates team even placed a ball in front of Odegaard's injured ankle to cover up the swelling.
Even though he is not playing, Odegaard is always present with the team. He is a regular at the Emirates for home games, spending time in the dressing room before going into the stands and returning to greet his teammates after the match. This helps the Norwegian star maintain his connection with the team and show leadership even when he is not playing.
From a watching position in the stands, Odegaard had the opportunity to watch the match from a new perspective. After his return, he hopes to apply those observations to improve play. Arsenal teammates say Odegaard thinks like a real manager. The return of the midfielder born in 1998 could bring the opportunity to apply that knowledge on the pitch.
The long absence of Martin Odegaard is a big challenge for Arsenal, especially when they do not have a captain on the field to lead in 12 matches on 3 fronts. However, his return marks an important turning point in the title race this season.
Arsenal have been carefully planned, with the goal of getting Odegaard ready for an important week of three consecutive away games against Newcastle, Inter and Chelsea.
Odegaard is now enjoying a valuable break to fully recover. The upcoming matches will determine whether Arsenal can get their title ambitions back on track. With the return of the club captain, captain Mikel Arteta can be more confident as he enters the key period of the season.
