Injury Threatens Balogun’s Participation with Monaco Against Arsenal in the Champions League

Doubts have emerged over the participation of American striker Folarin Balogun in Monaco’s upcoming UEFA Champions League match against his former club, Arsenal, next week.

According to the German Press Agency (DPA), Balogun missed Monaco’s training session on Thursday after sustaining another shoulder injury, having previously dislocated it. Balogun was sidelined for nearly two months due to the injury and made his return to the field at the end of November.

The striker, who joined Monaco from Arsenal in a permanent transfer deal last year, was substituted after 68 minutes during his team’s 1-2 defeat to Olympique Marseille on Sunday in Ligue 1.

Monaco’s Austrian manager, Adi Hütter, stated, “The American player suffered a blow to his shoulder,” and added, “He has been in pain ever since.”

Hütter told the press today, “Balogun was unable to finish training on Wednesday after feeling severe pain. He has received treatment,” noting that he was unsure whether his player would recover in time for Saturday’s Ligue 1 match against Toulouse.

Balogun had started the season in excellent form, scoring in three consecutive matches, including Monaco’s 2-1 win over Rennes on October 5, before being substituted due to the shoulder dislocation that caused him to miss two matches with the U.S. national team.

Hütter mentioned Balogun, saying, “He’s certainly a bit frustrated by this because he worked hard to return. He put in a lot during his recovery, and now he’s in pain. Everyone is hopeful that he might be able to return, perhaps on Saturday.”

Balogun, born in New York City and raised in London, signed a five-year contract with Monaco.

Monaco currently sits in eighth place in the Champions League standings with 10 points, level on points with seventh-placed Arsenal, with the same goal difference, after the first five rounds of the competition