Arsenal Womens Vivianne Miedema taken off on stretcher vs Lyon, Eidevall very concerned

Vivianne Miedema was forced off the pitch on a stretcher after suffering a suspected severe leg injury during Arsenal’s Women’s Champions League group-stage game against Lyon — with head coach Jonas Eidevall saying he was “very concerned” for the striker.

Miedema, 26, went down clutching her leg after attempting to challenge for the ball against Lyon’s Damaris Egurrola during stoppage time in the first half.

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She received treatment on the pitch before a stretcher was called for. The forward left the pitch on the stretcher, her leg strapped up, and she was in tears.

Arsenal had gone 1-0 down to Lyon moments earlier, when Frida Maanum scored an own goal for the north London club. Arsenal ultimately lost the match by that scoreline but will progress to the next stage from Group C of the Champions League as they avoid a four-goal defeat.

After the match, Eidevall told reporters that he was “very concerned” about the severity of Miedema’s injury.

“I haven’t spoken to her or the doctors, so I don’t have any updates, but right now that takes a lot of my thoughts,” he said.

“I’m very concerned over that, of course, but we had to stay focused during the game and focus on our performance but I am sorry, I don’t have any update at all on that situation.”

He added that his side also did not let the injury “take away focus” from the match. “After the game we are concerned, but we are still professional,” he said.

“We don’t let anything take away our focus from what we are doing. We stick to what we need to do on the pitch.

“After, we are concerned. During, we are 100 per cent professional with what we have to do.”

As one of the world’s pre-eminent forwards, losing the Dutch international for a significant period will be a major blow for Arsenal.

Miedema is the Women’s Super League’s all-time top scorer with 74 and tops the Netherlands’ scoring chart with 95.

She has scored seven times for Arsenal this season, helping her country win Euro 2017.

(Photo: Getty Images)

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