Havertz leaves the pitch in the 30th minute
Kai Havertz did not make it to half-time. The Arsenal forward was forced off injured on Thursday night at the Johan Cruijff ArenA during Germany’s 1-1 draw with the Netherlands. It was also Jürgen Klopp’s first match in charge of the Mannschaft, so of course the evening came with a bit of extra noise.
The problem came after a clash with Dutch midfielder Quinten Timber. Havertz immediately reached for the back of his thigh. He tried to carry on, winced, then signalled to the German medical staff. Younes Ebnoutalib came on in the 30th minute.
The exact diagnosis is not yet known. Havertz is said to have mentioned a hamstring issue to the German physios, although there has been no official confirmation so far. He is due to undergo further checks in London in the next few days.
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A season that had started at pace
The injury comes at a bad time. Havertz had made a strong start to the season with Arsenal, scoring three goals in seven appearances in all competitions. The 27-year-old had established himself as a reliable attacking option for Mikel Arteta, able to fill in up top or just behind the striker.
Arsenal are already dealing with a growing injury list. William Saliba, Declan Rice and Jurriën Timber have all been sidelined in recent weeks. The Gunners’ next Premier League fixture is on 10 October against Leeds United. Havertz now has just over two weeks to get himself right, with no guarantee he will be ready by then.
Klopp starts with a draw
On the pitch, Germany were in front for much of the game before being hauled back late on. The final score was 1-1, in Jürgen Klopp’s first match as Germany boss in the Nations League. A mixed start, made worse by the early exit of one of his key attacking players, just days before Arsenal head to London.
This is not Havertz’s first muscle scare. The Germany international, developed at Bayer Leverkusen before a spell at Chelsea, also missed several months last season because of a knee injury. This latest setback raises fresh questions over whether he can keep stacking up games without breaking down physically, especially with competition for places fierce both at Arsenal and on the international stage.
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