Move to field injured Fabregas backfired, admits Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger
Move to field injured Fabregas backfired, admits Arsenal manager Arsene WengerArsene Wenger admitted his decision to play Cesc Fabregasu00a0 backfired after the Arsenal captain was forced off with a hamstring injury in their 2-0 defeat to Braga in the Champions League on Tuesday.
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| Arsenal skipper Cesc Fabregas could be ruled out for two weeks with a hamstring injury sustained during the Champions League match against Braga on Tuesday. Pics/Getty Images, AFP |
Now the midfielder faces up to three weeks out with the problem, meaning he is likely to miss Premier League games against Aston Villa, Fulham and more importantly, title rivals Manchester United on December 13.
But Wenger concedes he had doubts whether to play his captain and has ruled the Spanish star out for at least two weeks.
"It's very disappointing because I had a hesitation to play him" (Fabregas), Wenger said.
"I took the gamble and it backfired. It looks like a classic hamstring so he will be out for two to three weeks."
Meanwhile, Wenger also criticised Hungarian referee Viktor Kassai for booking substitute Carlos Vela for an apparent dive when the replays confirmed contact and a penalty should have been awarded.
The Frenchman was also upset with Braga's first goal, as it came after defender Emmanuel Eboue was being carried off, which left Arsenal with only 10 men on the field.
"It is difficult to understand how we did not get a penalty," Wenger continued.
"The five referees is not an answer to the problem.
"The turning point was the penalty ufffd I still cannot understand how Carlos Vela got a yellow card. It remains a complete mystery."
