Arsenal captain Thierry Henry will miss the rest of the season after suffering groin and stomach injuries during his side's Champions League exit against PSV Eindhoven.
Henry will be out of action for the next three months of domestic and international football after damaging muscles in his groin and stomach soon after coming on as a second half substitute at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday.
The France striker was already struggling with foot and hamstring problems, but Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger hopes Henry's time on the sidelines will enable him to make a full recovery in time for the start of the 2007-2008 campaign.
Wenger told Arsenal's Web site: "Thierry Henry will be out for a minimum of three months. Unfortunately this means he will now miss the rest of this season both domestically and internationally, but we are confident that he will be ready for the start of next season."
It also means the forward will miss France's next Euro 2008 qualifier at Lithuania later this month and possibly the home games against Ukraine and Georgia in June.
Henry has started just 16 league games this season and his absence has been key to Arsenal's miserable recent run that saw them lose the League Cup final and suffer exits from the FA Cup and Champions League, all within the space of 11 days.
But the news that Henry has to rest will please his surgeon Professor Nicola Maffulli, who had earlier insisted the forward needed at least six weeks rest to cure the injuries that have dogged him this season.
Henry had admitted before the PSV match that he had been fully fit for just a handful of games this season as a result of the sciatic nerve problem he has had since the World Cup.
And Maffulli, who has created a fitness programs for Henry, believes his hectic schedule in the last year has taken its' toll.
He told the London Evening Standard: "The body is like a chain. If one part of the chain doesn't work properly, other parts can be affected.
"If the sciatic nerve is causing a problem to the hamstring, his style of running will be affected and other parts of the body will be stressed which were not stressed before.
"There is always a connection between the back and other parts of the body. The best way to manage it is to make sure the first injury is sorted out," Maffulli said.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
NO DOUBT: Spurs star Wembanyama was unanimously selected as NBA Rookie of the Year, winning all 99 votes to become the first Frenchman to capture the honor The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night produced a dominant defensive display to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 106-80 road victory. The third-seeded Timberwolves harassed Denver relentlessly to claim a second straight win over the NBA champions as the series heads back to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards scored 27 points apiece, but the star of the show was Minnesota’s suffocating defensive effort, which knocked Denver out of their stride almost from the tip-off. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 12 blocks, in sharp contrast to
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
One of Malaysia’s top soccer clubs has pulled out of today’s season-opening Charity Shield after a spate of assaults, including an acid attack, on players in the country. It leaves the kickoff of Malaysia’s season this weekend under a cloud following the unprecedented acts of violence against players, which have left the country shocked and angry. Authorities said they have imposed tighter security, but Selangor said that they would not play in the showpiece curtain-raiser against Malaysian Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) citing “a series of criminal incidents and recent threats.” Selangor and Malaysia winger Faisal Halim is in intensive care