Cesc Fabregas will be fit in time to play for Spain at the World
Cup even though he is expected to miss the rest of the season,
according to Arsenal physio Colin Lewin.
Fabregas suffered a broken leg playing in the first leg of
Arsenal's Champions League quarter-final tie against Barcelona,
ruling the club captain out of the Gunners' title chase.
But Lewin had good news for Spain fans concerned about the
influential midfielder.
"Cesc is doing well," he told the club's website.
"He is likely to be out for the rest of the season with a
hairline crack of his fibula. If everything goes well he will
comfortably make the World Cup and we will be constantly monitoring
him."
Lewin also reiterated that the injury was suffered during the
Barcelona match, dismissing earlier reports that Fabregas was at
less than 100% prior to kick-off.
"The injury was certainly as a result of the tackle by Carles
Puyol at the end of the Barcelona game," he said.
"There were some ill-informed media reports that the fracture
was sustained before the Barcelona game and those reports, put
simply, were untrue.
"He suffered heavy bruising in the Birmingham City game but
to suggest that someone can run around for 85 minutes against
Barcelona with a fractured fibula is just farcical.
"We examined Cesc after the Birmingham game and he had
suffered heavy bruising. The x-rays confirmed that there was no
fracture. At the end of the Barcelona match, following the
challenge from Puyol, Cesc had an x-ray to determine the damage.
"It showed a hairline crack, which unfortunately means Cesc
will miss the rest of the season."
Arsenal have been hit by several injuries this season, but
Lewin revealed that forward Robin van Persie is close to a return,
along with Johan Djourou and Kieran Gibbs.
"Johan Djourou had a difficult problem with the cartilage in
his knee joint," he said.
"He has made virtually a full recovery and we expect him to
train fully with the squad within the next fortnight, as will
Kieran Gibbs. They have both made full recoveries from what could
have been career-threatening injuries.
"Robin will be joining the squad for full training
imminently. That is a big boost for the club and to see Johan and
Kieran training with the team in the next fortnight will give
everyone a big lift."
Aaron Ramsey, who suffered a broken leg at Stoke, will have
to wait until early next season to make his own return.
"Aaron will make a full recovery," Lewin said. "Other
footballers have suffered a similar injury. The surgery went very
well and the early signs are very good.
"We don't expect Aaron to return until the early autumn. He
has some metalwork in there and that provides the stability for the
fracture.
"The specialists have encouraged him to walk and this
weight-bearing will aid the fracture healing.
It's early days but the signs are very good."
