Arsene Wenger has confirmed that Laurent Koscielny is a “concern” ahead of their Champions League opener with Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday night.
Koscielny scored the opening goal in Arsenal’s 2-1 win over Southampton on Saturday via an overhead kick and had a strong afternoon all round, but it ended on a sour note for the Frenchman.
Just before the Gunners were awarded a penalty in stoppage time, allowing Santi Cazorla to score a late winner, Koscielny was kicked in the head from a set-piece and his eye swelled up almost immediately.
He is now a doubt for Tuesday night’s Champions League game against Ligue 1 champions, PSG, as Wenger admitted that he is a “concern”.
Wenger told reporters post-match: “Yeah. He will be a little concern [for Tuesday]. It’s already very swollen.”
Koscielny has been in excellent form for Arsenal so far this season having come into the side after their opening weekend defeat to Liverpool.
The Frenchman – who lost in the final of Euro 2016 in the summer – has completed a superb 93% of his passes in the top flight and averaged 11 defensive actions per game – two more than anyone else at the club.
He was wearing the captain’s armband on Saturday afternoon in the absence of Per Mertesacker and he certainly didn’t let the Gunners down, misplacing just one of his 68 passes.
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