KAI HAVERTZ was forced off with a bloodied face in the dying embers of Arsenal’s 1-0 Champions League defeat to Inter Milan.
The Gunners’ star was involved in a horrid head collision with an Inter Milan player, leaving him with blood pouting down his face.
Arsenal were pushing for a late equaliser against the Italian giants when Havertz committed to a header in the box.
Unfortunately for the German, Inter defender Yann Aurel Bisseck was just as enthusiastic to clear the ball and the pair clashed heads in the air.
It was Havertz who came off worse as Bisseck’s head bashed straight into his eye.
The 25-year-old needed immediate medical attention from the Arsenal staff as blood poured down his face.
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Mikel Arteta was ultimately forced to withdraw his centre-forward.
But in a silver lining to a horrid moment, Havertz was replaced by Martin Odegaard – who returned to the pitch for the first time since suffering an ankle injury on international duty for Norway in September.
But even the return of Arsenal’s captain and playmaker couldn’t get the Gunners over the line with any points to bring back to North London.
Arteta’s side were unable to find the back of the net and lost their first Champions League game of the season, conceding their first goal in the competition this term too.
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The 1-0 defeat came after a controversial penalty decision in the first half.
Inter were awarded the spot-kick for a handball offence by Mikel Merino, but Arsenal fans and players were convinced that the Spaniard was too close to the initial contact for it to be given.
But Uefa’s handball rules meant that Merino was deemed to have handled the ball with his arm in an unnatural position and Hakan Çalhanoğlu dispatched the resulting penalty.
There’s no rest for Arsenal now either with a trip to face Premier League rivals Chelsea next up this weekend.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
