Arsenal’s Maanum stable after collapsing in Conti Cup final

Arsenal midfielder Frida Maanum is “conscious” and in a “stable condition” after collapsing to the ground in the 95th minute of the Conti Cup final against Chelsea on Sunday, the north London club have said.

The Norway international collapsed off the ball at Molineux Stadium with the score level at 0-0. A nine-minute delay ensued as the 24-year-old received extensive treatment before being carried off on a stretcher. She was subsequently replaced by Alessia Russo and the game resumed.

An Arsenal spokesperson told ESPN: “Frida is conscious, talking and in a stable condition. She will continue to be monitored closely by our medical team.”

Arsenal eventually won the game 1-0 following an extra-time goal from Stina Blackstenius, securing a second-straight Conti Cup title.

Arsenal coach Jonas Eidevall said he has spoken to Maanum, who will travel back to London with the team.

“Of course, it looks very scary when Frida goes down. It’s very easy to have the focus and emotions drawn at that point,” Eidevall said.

“But the reality is we have an excellent medical team, and they’re going to look after that situation and we need to focus on football, and we were able to do that.

“The first thing after the game, we don’t care about winning we care about how is it with Frida? And so happy that she’s doing well. That’s much more important than this.

“But in that moment, we need to stay task orientated, and there’s nothing we can do to control that situation, but we can control our football. That’s what we needed to do, and that’s what Frida wanted us to do as well, to make her a champion.

“I’ve been able to have a conversation with her but not from a medical perspective, just with checking in with her, how she is doing, telling her that we won, and understanding a little bit about what the next steps are.”

Russo said it was fitting that Blackstenius scored the winning goal.

“Obviously it is devastating seeing one of your teammates go down like that and we hope that she is ok,” Russo told the BBC after the match.

“I think it was written in the stars that her best mate went and scored the winner for her. Frida is a massive player and plays with every single bit of her body, she did that again today and we just hope she is ok.”

Maanum has starred at Arsenal since joining the club in 2021. She also has 72 caps for Norway.