After having an excellent season with Arsenal, it was confirmed today that Victoria Pelova has ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).
Pelova, who joined Arsenal in January 2023, contributed five assists and scored two goals this season.
So far, she has made 34 appearances for the North London club and has been involved in 11 goal contributions. Tragically, she tore her ACL just a day after turning 25.
This injury is a significant blow for both Arsenal and the Netherlands, who are currently grappling with their own injury crisis.
Out of the seven players who have torn their ACL at Arsenal since the start of the 2022 season, Teyah Goldie and Kaylan Marckese also suffered ACL injuries while not at the club.
Victoria’s creativity on the field stood out this season. Her ability to create marvellous assists earned her a nomination for Player of the Season and the BBC Player of the Match award in the Continental Cup back in March.
Her best game came at the beginning of the season against Leicester City, where she achieved two assists and scored one goal after Arsenal were initially 2-0 down.
Arsenal will greatly miss her next season, as she has been a key player in most league games. It remains unclear who will fill the void left by the ever-present Victoria Pelova.
Featured image courtesy of Bella Pinn.