Frida Maanum is being closely monitored by Arsenal's medical team; midfielder was taken off on a stretcher after appearing to collapse off the ball during Sunday's Conti Cup final against Chelsea; Arsenal have confirmed Maanum was 'conscious, talking and in a stable condition'
Wednesday 3 April 2024 15:46, UK
Frida Maanum will continue to be closely monitored by Arsenal's medical team as she continues her recovery after collapsing off the ball during Sunday's Conti Cup final win over Chelsea.
Maanum was taken off on a stretcher at Molineux having received medical attention on the pitch after play was halted for seven minutes, with the game goalless.
Paramedics were called and medical staff encircled the 24-year-old, who was then placed on a stretcher and carried off.
However, Arsenal have since confirmed that Maanum is stable, although she will not meet up with the Norway national team ahead of their European Championship Qualifier with Finland on Friday.
On Monday, Arsenal posted an update on Maanum's condition on X, saying: "Frida is conscious, talking and in a stable condition. She will continue to be monitored closely by our medical team. We're all with you, Frida."
Jonas Eidevall, the Arsenal boss, told BBC Sport after the game: "We trust our medical team and we got really good information from them as well."
Stina Blackstenius scored in the 116th minute to earn Arsenal their first piece of silverware, and end Chelsea's quadruple hopes.
But focus remained firmly on Maanum's condition, with her replacement Alessia Russo leading the well-wishers.
"Obviously it is devastating seeing one of your team-mates go down like that and we hope that she is ok," Russo told the BBC.
"I think it was written in the stars that her best mate [Blackstenius] 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."
Blackstenius, speaking to BBC Sport after scoring the winner, said of Maanum: "It's always really hard. She's a team-mate and a friend to all of us. We care so much about her. You worry a bit when stuff like this happens.
"We said we wanted to do this for her, to get this win for her because she couldn't be with us at that point."
Chelsea boss Emma Hayes, who will depart the Blues at the end of the season to take charge of the US women's national team, told the broadcaster: "Player welfare comes first every time. I really hope [Maanum] is OK. It's always worrying when that happens."
