Arsenal head coach Renee Slegers said that the news of defender Katie Reid suffering an ACL injury was “horrible”.
And in her pre-match press conference ahead of the Gunners’ UEFA Women’s Champions League match against Bayern Munich, Slegers added that it was particularly disappointing bearing in mind Reid’s progress and potential.
“It’s always horrible, especially for her herself,” said Slegers.
“She started the season so well for us – I think with her age, how mature she is, who she’s been in the group, how she’s been growing every single day.
“She will also join in during her rehab, but it’s very disappointing for her. It’s very hard. Of course, she’s been with us these last couple of days. The surgery is planned and she’s going to move forward from there.
“I chatted with her yesterday and she said she’s going to want to use this time to grow further as a football player. I think that says everything about Katie, but it’s of course very disappointing.”
Katie Reid ruptured her ACL in training last week.
Slegers: we need more research
Asked about the broader problems of the frequency of ACL injuries in the women’s game, Slegers went on: “I think the starting point is to have as much awareness as possible in how we can prevent these injuries. I think everyone would agree. I know the club is prominent in these processes on a wider scale. It’s very important.
“How can we prevent these injuries? There’s a lot of things involved. It’s hard because it’s one little moment and then you’re out for nine to twelve months. It impacts a player’s career. Everything we can do on a wider scale, so research, understanding, I think that’s where it all starts.
“If we understand more and we need to keep on doing research because the game grows so fast and so many things change, we need to grow with that change, and I think it’s the starting point.”
Arsenal boss choosing from same squad as the weekend
Slegers confirmed that there were no new injuries since the weekend’s controversial draw against Chelsea, meaning that captain Kim Little is still out.
“She’s progressing,” explained Slegers. “She’s working hard but still by herself. She’s not available for tomorrow.”
