Fabregas huge doubt for Gunners - 7M sport

Fabregas huge doubt for Gunners

Posted Wednesday, March 31, 2010 by PA

Arsene Wenger will not gamble on the fitness of influential captain Cesc Fabregas for the Champions League quarter-final first leg against Barcelona at Emirates Stadium - but has promised his young Arsenal team can nevertheless deliver a performance to remember.

The Spain midfielder, who started his career at the Nou Camp, is a major doubt for the game after sustaining heavy bruising to his leg and knee during the Barclays Premier League clash at Birmingham on Saturday, where the Gunners were denied victory by Kevin Phillip's goal deep into stoppage time to hit their title hopes.

Wenger, however, insists unless the 22-year-old playmaker - who has had his fair share of injury problems this season - is fully fit, the Gunners boss is not prepared to take any risks.

"We will give ourselves 24 hours more and we will assess the situation but if the match were today, Cesc would not be able to play," said Wenger. "Sometimes you do not want to take a gamble because 24 hours more can help.

"If he is full capacity we will play him. The medical staff tell me there is still a chance he will be available but that will decided in the warm up which tells you how late we will leave it. I would say 60% against, 40% for him playing."

Wenger maintains his youngsters will be up to the challenge against the European Cup holders and favourites, who can call upon a star-studded squad led by Argentina international Lionel Messi and with a certain former Arsenal skipper Thierry Henry also now at the Nou Camp.

"We must be brave, go for it and then we have every chance," he said. "I do not deny their quality because Barcelona have an exceptional team - but we are an exceptional team as well."

Despite the doubt over Fabregas' availability, there was some positive news from Arsenal's Hertfordshire training complex as William Gallas joined in with the rest of the squad.

The centre-half has been missing for eight matches because of a calf injury and his return gives Wenger another option at the heart of the defence should he opt to rest Sol Campbell.

Barca boss Pep Guardiola said his side would not betray their attacking instincts and is determined to try and take a lead back to Spain for the return leg.

Barca will be without influential midfielder Andres Iniesta but his absence will not see Guardiola abandon his positive approach.

"Arsenal will be playing to their strengths and we will play to ours," said Guardiola. "We all know that scoring an away goal is very important for the return leg.

"So we will have an attacking intention and will defend in a very aggressive manner, in the right sense of the word. We will try to score, that is our main idea, it is very important.

"We will try and win this game. That is what we will do - get the ball and attack."

The first leg is already promising to be something of a footballing masterclass and Guardiola is full of admiration for his opponents.

"I am honoured to be in the quarter-finals of the Champions League and hopefully we will try to get to the final for the second successive year," he added.

"That is a very difficult achievement. I am honoured to come back to this stadium because we are going to be playing against a team that is phenomenal. A lot of people like their style of football. They are a very dynamic and daring team.

"Mr Wenger is one of the best coaches in the world. He is part of the history of Arsenal. He won trophies and changed the mentality of this club. It is a new club now. All around the world people admire him and Arsenal. That is why it is an honour to play against a team like Arsenal.

"It is time to be serious and focused because we play against one of the best teams in the world over the last 10 or 15 years."



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