ARSENAL
Ankle surgery to leave Cazorla out for three months
Arsenal suffered a fresh blow on Thursday when Spanish midfielder Santi Cazorla was ruled out for three months with an ankle injury
New setback
Arsenal suffered a fresh blow on Thursday when midfielder Santi Cazorla was ruled out for three months with an ankle injury.
The 31-year-old Spaniard has not featured since picking up the injury in Arsenal's 6-0 Champions League Matchday 3 win over Ludogorets on 19 October.
Theatre booked
He will undergo surgery in Sweden next week and is not expected to return until the beginning of Marchat the earliest, which means he will miss key Premier League games against Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool and certainly the first leg of Arsenal’s Champions League Last 16 tie against a rival to be announced and possibly the second leg as well.
Club statement
Arsenal said in a statement today: “The club's medical team and specialists have decided that surgery is required to the plantaris tendon in the Spain international's right foot. The problem has not progressed during a rehabilitation programme following the injury during the home match with Ludogorets on 19 October.We expect Santi's full recovery to take approximately three months”.
Arsenal lost 2-0 at home to Southampton in the EFL Cup quarter-finals last night, but are through to the first knout round of the Champions League with a game to spare, tied on 11 points with Paris-Saint Germain in Group A. They are fourth in the Premier League, three points adrift of leaders Chelsea.