Arsenal Football Club

• Nickname:Gunners
• Founded:1886
• Manager:Arsene Wenger

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Rosicky to miss season's start

16 Jun 2008 - 12:01:05

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Arsenal midfielder Tomas Rosicky fears that his troublesome knee injury will not have recovered in time for the start of the new Premier League season.

The Czech Republic international has been sidelined since January and underwent surgery last month that forced him to miss Euro 2008.

The Gunners had hoped the 27-year-old would be fit enough to feature in pre-season training, but Rosicky told CTK: "It will be a long time before I return, but at the start of the new season - some time in August - I will hopefully start training."

Rosicky said of the Czechs' dramatic 3-2 defeat to Turkey on Sunday that ended the national team's interest at Euro 2008: "It is always difficult to watch a game from the stand or from the bench.

"It is even worse if you throw away such a chance. I have never experienced anything like that.

"Unfortunately, the lads perhaps had it in their minds that they could lose the game. But if we are 2-0 up 15 minutes before the end, we simply have to fight until the end and win.

"The finish was a collapse, as if the guys stopped playing. I am very sad.

"Petr Cech made a mistake for their second goal and that was probably crucial. Our players tried to play the offside trap for the third goal, although you should never take a risk like that at such a stage."