Monday Apr 24 2006 14:35
Arsenal defender Philippe Senderos has been ruled out of the Champions League semi-final second leg clash with Villarreal on Tuesday with the knee injury he sustained during the 1-1 draw with
Tottenham.
The Swiss star was not named in Arsene Wenger's 19-man squad for the trip to Spain although Gael Clichy, who has not played since early November because of a foot injury, returns.
Sol Campbell has also travelled with the rest of the squad after recovering from the broken nose he suffered in this month's Premiership draw with Portsmouth.
The Gunners lead 1-0 after last week's cagey first leg at Highbury and travel to Villarreal having not conceded a goal in their last nine Champions League encounters.
"They looked happy with a 1-0," admitted Wenger.
"That's what Thierry Henry saw and called it negative but I don't really think they were negative. But they were a team who never came out and always tried to stop us going forward on the breaks especially.
"They did that well with a lot of tactical maturity. They will have to come out now of course.
"The best way to deal with that is to score. That would be ideal and that's what we'll try to achieve. We are a team who can always score goals.
"But as well I think that for us it's most important to go there, form a good defensive base every time we go forward and try to win the game.
"It's good because we have as well a few clean sheets, so one defence will have to give in and I hope it will be them.
"It's not the biggest of stadiums. It's a bit like Highbury, but they have a good pitch and when you have good technique that's most important.
"I feel the pace of our game will be the key, we will try to play at a high pace. I think they'll try to up theirs as well so you should see a much more exciting game in the second leg."
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