Wenger: Arsenal confused by latest Rosicky injury

Matt Stead

Arsene Wenger admits that the latest injury suffered by Tomas Rosicky has left everyone at Arsenal confused.

Rosicky made his first appearance of the season for the Gunners after struggling since June with a knee injury, coming on as a second-half substitute against Burnley in the 2-1 FA Cup fourth-round win.

But the Czech Republic international suffered a thigh injury immediately upon his return, and with Arsenal already having made all three substitutes, Rosicky played on.

Wenger admitted that “nobody understands” how Rosicky suffered the injury so quickly upon his comeback, adding: “He warmed up well, he warmed up for 20 minutes. I told him straight away after halftime, warm up. I observed him, and he’s very conscientious, Tomas. He did sprint and sprint and sprint.

“He told me that after three minutes he got the injury. I looked at him [during the game] and thought, ‘Tomas you do not run properly,’ because he did not lift his legs.

“And he lost some balls that I was amazed from him, because he’s top level technically. But when he told me after the game that he did it [get injured] straight away I understood why, what happened to him.

“He stayed on, he said ‘I stayed on because you could not change any more.'”

Wenger says the 36-year-old has been hit hard by his latest setback, and that his chances of captaining Czech Republic in this summer’s European Championships could even be threatened.

“He is devastated. It’s unbelievable,” Wenger said. “Such a good player, but his career has been so disrupted by so many injuries. And now, he was born in 1980, he’s going to be 36. It’s difficult for him.”