Arsenal duo Vivianne Miedema and Victoria Pelova have withdrawn from the Netherlands squad for their game against Germany.

A brief statement from the Dutch national team has confirmed that the pair are unavailable, but no further details on their fitness have been given:

“Vivianne Miedema and Victoria Pelova are not available for next Wednesday’s UEFA Women’s Nations League Finals match against Germany. Both players have left the Dutch national team selection and are returning to Arsenal.”

Considering that the Netherlands need to beat Germany in order to clinch their place in the Olympics, both players must have suffered major fitness setbacks for them to withdraw from such an important match.

Miedema’s injury nightmare continues

The striker spent the best part of 10 months out with an ACL injury before returning in October. She has, though, suffered complications, admitting last week that she is still in pain:

“I almost feel like my old self again. I have of course played more and more after the winter break. After a cruciate ligament injury it sometimes involves trial and error. I think the new normal is a bit different from the old normal. That does not mean that I am on the field with pain every day. I think it was just very painful at the beginning. It took a lot of getting used to and now you have found a certain way to deal with it.”

Miedema played for her country in the 3-0 defeat to world champions Spain on Friday but she was substituted at halftime in that game, suggesting that she has encountered another issue.

Arsenal take on Tottenham this weekend

Manager Jonas Eidevall will be very concerned about Miedema and Pelova’s fitness, especially as they will be facing Spurs in the North London derby on Sunday.

The Gunners suffered a shock defeat in the last encounter between the two teams. Martha Thomas’s goal secured a 1-0 win back in December; damaging Eidevall’s team’s title challenge.

After beating Manchester United and moving to within three points of league leaders Chelsea, Arsenal will be looking for revenge against Tottenham at the Emirates this weekend. They may, however, have to do it without two key players.