Alex down and out yet again
does not look good. When you look at him, he is a fantastic athlete.
“It is very sad. He was physically ready and looking sharp. He had one week’s training last week, he planned to play on Tuesday night. But he got injured on Monday morning.
“You want a guy of 22 years of age to go to the European Championship. He’s an impact player as well so he could have made a great contribution to England’s success.”
Oxlade- Chamberlain’s injury problems started on the opening day of the season in August 2013, when Wenger said an injury to his posterior cruciate would rule him out for “at least six weeks”. He did not return until January.
Three months later a groin injury prematurely ended his domestic season. His action for England was restricted to just 63 minutes against Ecuador in a friendly ahead of the World Cup in Brazil.
After a largely trouble- free run until April the following year, a hamstring injury all but ended his season. Then in February, a fresh knee injury was described as “quite serious” by Wenger.
He was set for a game on Tuesday for Arsenal Under- 21s.
Oxlade- Chamberlain has two years of his contract to run, usually the time when Arsenal look to start talks with their younger players. Wenger says this latest setback will not affect that process.
“We have invested a lot of time and will not give up now,” he said.
Arsenal face Manchester City, whose manager Manuel Pellegrini admits it will be “a disaster” if his legacy is to leave them without Champions League football. “I am fi nishing my contract here but of course I’m worried because I want to fi nish the season in the best way,” he said.
“It’s not easy to come back after the sort of big disappointment we had in Madrid. I hope the players recover mentally.
“We had it in our minds that we were going to play in that fi nal. But it’s so important for the players and for the club to be in the Champions League next year.”
Skipper Vincent Kompany has fl own to Barcelona to see a leading specialist in a bid to keep his Euro 2016 hopes alive.
The groin problem that forced him off at the Bernabeu was his 33rd injury in eight years at City.