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Saliba faces World Cup doubt after aggravating injury in Champions League final defeat

Arsenal defender William Saliba is reportedly facing a race to be fit for the World Cup after aggravating an injury during Saturday's Champions League final loss to Paris Saint-Germain on penalties in Budapest.

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Saliba faces World Cup doubt after aggravating injury in Champions League final defeat
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William Saliba is facing an anxious wait over his fitness for the World Cup after aggravating an existing injury during Arsenal’s Champions League final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain at the Puskas Arena in Budapest on Saturday.

The 25-year-old played the full 120 minutes of the showpiece as Mikel Arteta’s side were beaten 4-3 on penalties following a 1-1 draw after extra-time. Gabriel Magalhaes blazed the decisive spot-kick over the bar, with Eberechi Eze also missing from twelve yards, to deny Arsenal Europe’s premier club trophy for the first time in their history.

According to Foot Mercato, Saliba had been carrying a minor injury into the final, which was worsened during the match. The French outlet reports that he could be sidelined for “several weeks” and that his condition is a “concern” for the France Football Federation (FFF). The World Cup in North America is scheduled to kick off on Thursday, June 11, with France’s opening fixture against Senegal on Tuesday, June 16.

Saliba has established himself as a key figure in Didier Deschamps’ preferred centre-back partnership alongside Bayern Munich’s Dayot Upamecano. Should the Arsenal defender miss the early stages of the tournament, Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konate and Crystal Palace’s Maxence Lacroix are reported to be the leading candidates to fill the void. France’s group-stage schedule also includes a fixture against Iraq on Monday, June 22 and a meeting with Norway on Friday, June 26.

The injury setback comes at the end of a season that has otherwise been a personal triumph for Saliba. He was instrumental as Arsenal were crowned Premier League champions last month for the first time since 2004, edging out Manchester City to finish top of the table. The club marked that achievement with an open-top bus parade through London on Sunday, a day after the Budapest final.

Saliba will now work to determine the full extent of the injury and whether he can recover in time to contribute to France’s World Cup campaign.

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