Fabregas out of Porto clash
LONDON - Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas has been ruled out of Tuesday's Champions League, last 16 second leg tie against Porto at the Emirates stadium with a hamstring problem, manager Arsene Wenger said.
The Spanish midfielder suffered a recurrence of the injury he first sustained in December after scoring in Saturday's Premier League win over Burnley.
Arsenal are 2-1 behind in the tie after a controversial defeat by Porto at the Dragao stadium last month.
"We cannot even take a gamble because he is just not available," Wenger told a news conference on Monday.
Fabregas was undergoing a scan on Monday but Wenger predicted the injury would not keep the player out for long.
"We are all convinced it will be a very very short time and that next weekend he has a small chance to be back for Hull.
"If it's not Hull it will be the week after."
Wenger said Arsenal, despite the absence of the influential Fabregas, had enough quality to overturn the first-leg deficit.
Get FourFourTwo Newsletter
The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.
"We want to qualify and the absence of Cesc is not any excuse at all. We have enough players, we have a strong enough squad to still get round that and we have a very good chance to qualify."
Defender William Gallas is also out on Tuesday with a calf problem.
'People will remember us because we got to No.1 in the world rankings and achieved great things - but our biggest regret is that we didn’t win anything': Ex-Everton star Kevin Mirallas opens up on 'honour' of being part of nation's golden generation
‘I’m sure we’d have finished in the top four or five if he hadn’t joined Chelsea in January. Him leaving damaged the team, but we couldn’t stand in his way’: Alan Curbishley reflects on failed Champions League dream after selling key player