SOCCER:ARSENAL SUFFERED a major blow in their quest for silverware after Cesc Fabregas was ruled out of the English League Cup final against Birmingham City on Sunday. The captain is also a big doubt for the Champions League last-16 second leg against Barcelona at the Camp Nou on Tuesday week.
The Spaniard suffered a recurrence of the hamstring problems that have blighted his career in Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Stoke City at the Emirates on Wednesday.
Arsene Wenger, the Arsenal manager, confirmed last night: “It is a very small injury but certainly Cesc will be out for Sunday. For how long [beyond that] I don’t know.
“He is disappointed. We all feel sorry and sad for him. The only way we can help him now is to win the (League) Cup as he contributed a lot in this competition.”
Arsenal have not won a major trophy since claiming the FA Cup in 2005, and Fabregas had hoped to lead the team in their quest to break this sequence.
But his possible absence against his hometown club Barcelona could be more significant. Reports in Spain last night from Fabregas’ personal trainer suggested the midfielder could return in time to face Barcelona. Trainer Juan Ferrando said: “He has a micro fracture and may play in the Nou Camp without problems. Without doubt.”
But Wenger, when asked if Fabregas would be available, admitted he could not put a timescale on his recovery. “It is very difficult to give a deadline. It is impossible.”
Wenger confirmed Theo Walcott, who will miss the cup final after spraining an ankle, is a doubt for the trip to Spain.
But there was some good news for Arsenal with Robin van Persie, Laurent Koscielny and Abou Diaby all expected to be fit for Sunday.
“I saw him this morning,” the Frenchman said of Walcott. “He has a classic ankle sprain. We don’t think there is any more damage to it. But it is still a sprain. We are sad for him too. He is out for Sunday and maybe one or two more weeks more.”
The news regarding Fabregas comes after Barcelona continued their hostility towards Arsenal by branding them “immoral” for signing Jon Miquel Toral Harper (16), from their youth academy for a reported fee of €350,000.
The outburst from Sandro Rosell, the Barcelona president, raises suggestions that the Catalan club still hold ill feeling regarding the signing by Wenger of Fabregas when he was 16 years old.
As Spanish clubs cannot sign a player until he is 17 Toral was able to join the club of his choice. After Barcelona confirmed that Toral had agreed to follow Fabregas to north London next season, Rosell said: “It’s very important to keep this group of young lads [at the club] together with a grounding in our way of playing football. We don’t like it when other clubs come with offers of money just before the [player’s] 16th birthday. It’s legal but a little immoral.”
Barcelona may fear Toral becoming as prominent at Arsenal as Fabregas, who has won the World Cup and European Championship since. While Rosell claimed Barcelona had informed Arsenal of their discontent regarding the way the Toral deal was sealed ahead of the opening Champions League first leg at the Emirates, Wenger offered a response to the club a fortnight ago when he said they did not hold any moral high-ground.
He said: “It’s part of the game. Where do they get their players? Where does [Lionel] Messi come from? Barcelona? [Newell’s Old Boys in Argentina] At what age did they take him? Twelve years old. There’s no reason for any bitterness because we did nothing illegal. We did not force a gun somewhere. We respected the rules.”
Rosell refused to rule out another bid for Fabregas in the summer having failed to land him last term. “Barca must have the best possible team,” he said.
