Arsene Wenger today confirmed that Arsenal’s Cesc Fabregas will be out for up to four months with knee injury. The Spaniard had to be substituted at half-time in Arsenal’s 1-1 draw against Liverpool on Sunday following a challenge with Xabi Alonso.
The full extent of the damage has now been revealed, with Wenger confirming that he has a partial rupture of the medial knee ligament.
Fabregas had only recently returned to fitness following a problem with the same knee and he will now miss most of the rest of the season.
Fabregas replaced William Gallas as Arsenal captain in November and Wenger admits it is a major blow to lose him.
“The news is not good because it is a partial rupture of the medial knee ligament that is taking us three to four months,” Wenger said. We count four. He will be working hard to return earlier but we count four months. We will miss him of course but we have to find a way to compensate for the fact that he will not be on the pitch. I am sure we can deal with it and when he comes back he can help us to get over the line in the final months.”
This is a huge blow to Arenal’s Champions League and title hopes and I have to expect that Wenger will be buying in the Janaury transfer window as Arsenal’s midfield players have been dropping like fly’s this season.
Wenger will also have to decide who will take the captain’s armband from Fabregas. Goalkeeper Manuel Almunia took over when William Gallas was stripped of the captaincy and Fabregas was serving a suspension.
Arsenal are eight points off leaders Liverpool in the Premier League table in fifth place, and are up against Roma in the last 16 of the Champions League. The Gunners face a key Premier League encounter with third-placed Aston Villa on Boxing Day.