Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas will definitely miss Sunday’s Carling Cup final against Birmingham with a hamstring injury, Arsene Wenger has confirmed.
The 23-year-old Gunners skipper picked up the strain early in the first half of Wednesday night’s 1-0 win over Stoke City at Emirates Stadium.
abregas told concerned fans he would do everything in his power to try and recover in time for Sunday’s clash in a post on Twitter, but the Arsenal manager confirmed he will definitely sit out the Wembley tie later on Thursday.
“It is a very small injury but certainly Cesc will be out for Sunday,” Wenger told Arsenal’s website. “For how long [beyond that] I don’t know but definitely for Sunday.
“He is disappointed. We all feel sorry and sad for him. The only way we help him now is to win the Carling Cup as he contributed a lot in this competition.”
Wenger admits he does not know whether his captain will be back in time for the return leg of Arsenal’s Champions League tie with Barcelona on 8 March.
“It is very difficult to give a deadline,” said Wenger. “It is impossible.”