KOSCIELNY’S EASING BACK
UNAI EMERY has insisted Arsenal captain Laurent Koscielny will not be rushed back into action after returning to training this week.
The France centre-back missed the World Cup after rupturing his Achilles tendon in the Europa League semi-final in May.
The 33-year-old confirmed this week he has retired from international football as he fights to regain his fitness and earn a new contract at the Gunners, where he has 18 months left on his current deal.
Emery said: “We need to be calm with him. Calm because he needs to first feel he is doing well and then he can play and do games in training.
“We can then think he is OK to play.
“He is very important for us because he is our captain. He is starting this week to do some training with us together and it is very, very good news for us.
“We need also to give confidence to him, to be close with us, because it was a big injury.
“But now he is getting better, he is training with us in some things and this is very positive.”
Boss Emery has refused to criticise the Premier League for making his side play three times in a week, but he admits that he will have to juggle his pack.
The Gunners host Leicester in the Premier League on Monday night before facing Sporting Lisbon in Portugal on Thursday in the Europa League and Crystal Palace the following Sunday.
“The TV has the target to choose the matches Friday, Sunday, Monday.
‘‘If they decided we are going to play Monday, we don’t stop to think if it is better to play then or not.
“Every player, they need to feel they can play every match.
‘‘With only three days difference between one match and another, you can’t do that.”