Saka Hurt but Set to Begin...

The England manager is determined to include Saka in the starting lineup against Croatia, despite concerns about his fitness to complete a full 90 minutes.

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Bukayo Saka continues to deal with an Achilles injury that affected the latter part of his Arsenal season, but Thomas Tuchel remains intent on fielding him in England‘s World Cup opener against Croatia.

The Arsenal winger has been struggling with this issue for months and is not deemed fit enough for a full match.

England’s final warm-up match against Costa Rica is scheduled for Wednesday, with their World Cup campaign set to kick off against Croatia on June 17.

Tuchel informed reporters during his pre-match press briefing, “We need to be cautious with Bukayo [Saka], as he had an injury in March that lingered throughout the season. He made himself available towards the end of the season and performed admirably, but we had to manage his playing time; this cautious approach continues now as we work to build him up.”

“Noni [Madueke, Declan [Rice], and Ebs [Eze] are fully fit.”

“We just finished training and everyone participated, including Bukayo. We will make decisions in the afternoon regarding the starting lineup and the minutes played.”

“The Arsenal players arrived in a good mindset and physical condition. They feel proud and confident, particularly after proving themselves against one of the best teams in the world, Paris Saint Germain, although they ultimately lost in the shootout.”

“They came in with great enthusiasm and are pleased with what they achieved.”

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This places Arsenal in a concerning position before the tournament commences. Saka’s Achilles issue led to a month-long absence and missing seven games during the domestic season, although he returned towards the end of April.

While this injury did not hinder his performance at season’s end, the lingering concern as the World Cup approaches highlights the importance of managing his playing time carefully.

For England, Saka is deemed too valuable to omit if he is available. Conversely, Arsenal’s primary concern will be ensuring he completes the tournament without exacerbating the injury, especially following the previous season’s loss of another critical player, Jurrien Timber, who has already been sidelined by injury.

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Timber had to withdraw from the World Cup due to a groin injury sustained against Everton in March.

While Saka is not facing the same predicament, Tuchel’s plan to start him against Croatia reveals the ongoing concern regarding his persistent Achilles issue, adding to Arsenal’s worries before a tournament that will further stress one of their key players.