Cesc Fabregas' week is not getting any better.
The Arsenal midfielder re-aggrivated a hamstring injury in the Gunners' loss to FC Barcelona on Tuesday that eliminated them from the UEFA Champions League. As a result, he'll have to miss Arsenal's key FA Cup clash with Manchester United this weekend.
Fabregas issued an apology for his play against Barcelona, most notably for his ill-timed back-heel pass attempt that turned into a turnover and Lionel Messi's opening goal.
It is unclear how long this hamstring injury will keep Fabregas sidelined.
Here are a few more stories from around the soccer world:
ARTETA TEARS HAMSTRING
Fabrgeas wasn't the only Spanish midfielder to suffer a hamstring injury in the last couple of days.
Everton's Mikel Arteta had to exit Wednesday's draw with Birmingham City after just eight minutes after he injured his hamstring.
Reports suggest that it is a Grade Two tear, and that he is expected to miss a few weeks.
BOXALL GETS NEW ZEALAND CALL-UP
Vancouver Whitecaps rookie Michael Boxall received a call up to the New Zealand national team for its friendlies against China and Japan later this month.
Boxall has never participated with the senior team, although he has represented his country in the Olympics. He was one of 30 players called in by coach Ricki Herbert, but he is not guaranteed to make the final cut, as that number will be trimmed to 22 prior to the matches.
Chivas USA teammates Andrew Boyens and Simon Elliott and Portland backup goalkeeper Jake Gleeson were also among the 30 called in by Herbert.
GALINDO RELEASED BY FCD
FC Dallas has let former Chivas USA striker Maykel Galindo go from its training camp without extending a contract offer.
With the recent signing of Colombian striker Fabian Castillo, Galindo became expendable.
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Do you see Arsenal beating Manchester United in the FA Cup? Think Everton will be OK without Arteta? Hope to see Boxall make New Zealand's final cut? Want your team to go out and sign Galindo?
Share your thoughts below.
Fabregas never should have played at the Camp Nou. He was hurt and ineffective, and now he’s reinjured himself (yet again). I love the guy, but it’s time for him to return home to Barcelona. Hopefully Arsenal can still sell him for big money this summer.
The juggernaut that is the All Whites. Only undefeated team in WC 2010.
I feel like “Fabregas, Arteta hurt…” is a quickly becoming “Dog bites man”
Arsenal should look at Deuce this Summer. They need more players with Grit aand Heart.
Yea, you’re right. Van Persie did an alright job face raking Dani Alves. If there’s anyone that needs to be face raked more, it’s that flopper Alves.
RBNY should bring in Galindo immediately
oh yea and don’t let me forget, our captain is out as well. great
yea we really got slammed all at once. Fellaini, Cahill, and now Arteta all out. that’s the core of our team all at once. Moyes is going to really have to dig deep into his bag of tricks to stay up in the table. like you said, it is so tight this year its just a few points separating European qualification and relegation threatening
Same old arsenal. Do they believe in stretching in London?
Arsenal has been up and down this season, but I’ve noticed that they haven’t had too many losing streaks. It’s more like they win a game, expectations go up, and then they lose a game, expectations go down, and they win again. Hoping that that carries through to this weekend and they go up against Man United.
I’m right there with you about the Barca defeat, though.
Arsenal central midfielder injured?
Paging Aaron Ramsey. Just might be your chance to get back in there, mate. Considering how desperate Cardiff was to keep him, it sounds like he’s gotten his fitness back. If he has, Arsenal could desperately use him.
Fabregas is a baby made of glass
The last thing Everton needs right now is to lose Arteta. They have been so up and down this season, they need one of their best players healthy and making an impact. Especially with the tight table this season…only a few spots away from a place in the Europa League, but also only 6 points out of the relegation zone.
I thought Koscielny and RvP played alright considering the circumstances. At least they looked like they wanted to play. As for Rosicky and Diaby, if I never see them in an Arsenal shirt again it will be too soon.
Ives made a comment in a live Q&A a while back about how the Arsenal supporters he knows are one big loss away from being on suicide watch. His observation was really not too far off the mark. Two days later and I’m still just seething after the Barca defeat.
I get Galindo would be rusty. But the last time he was 100% and in-form he was a force. So it surprises me he can’t hook on with a team…has he really regressed that much?
Ha! And on that note — why did Djourou, Koscielny, Rosicky, Diaby, Sagna and Van Persie even bother to play? Wilshere, Clichy, and Nasri are the only players that showed up that match. But really, you have to look at Arsenal’s bench and wonder who else is gonna step up that not’s injured and in-form. There’s not a lot there.
Why did Cesc even play? I get that he wanted to impress his former club, but he really did Arsenal a disservice by declaring himself fit. He looked like half the player he normally is and he clearly couldn’t sprint. The fact that he re-injured himself is just the icing on the cake.
Another MLS rookie from the Northwest was called into that provisional New Zealand roster…