LONDON - Arsenal defender Gael Clichy will not play
again this season because of a back injury, manager Arsene Wenger
said on Thursday.
The 23-year-old French full-back sustained the injury during the
Champions League quarter-final first leg at Villarreal on April 7
and has missed Arsenal's last 10 matches.
"It is finished for Gael. We would have put a little more
pressure on the recovery period had we gone to the Champions League
final, but now we will not take a gamble," Wenger told the club's
website.
Arsenal, knocked out of the Champions League by Manchester
United on Tuesday, are fourth in the Premier League with three
matches remaining.
They face Chelsea, who were also knocked out of the Champions
League this week, in the Premier League at the Emirates Stadium on
Sunday and would move to within three points of their west London
rivals with victory.
Andrei Arshavin, who was cup-tied for the Manchester United
match, should return to the side to face Chelsea, managed by his
Russian international coach Guus Hiddink.
Wenger said Arshavin had a touch of flu on Thursday and missed
training but should be fit to play.
