Arsenal have been boosted by the news that Bayern Munich star Franck Ribery could be out of the meeting between the two teams in the Champions league last 16 stage.

It is one of the highly anticipated fixtures of this round since both teams play attacking and attractive style of football. However, this match was seen as a negative aspect for Arsenal given the way the fixtures have panned out.

Arsenal will come into the encounter on the back of three difficult matches against Liverpool and Manchester United. Hence, they are likely to be weary for this match, while Bayern Munich will be energised after the recent winter break. Some good news for Arsenal has come in the form of an updated to Ribery’s injury situation. The 30-year-old Frenchman is one of the best players at the club, and he was recently brought down to the three-man shortlist for the FIFA Ballon d’Or award.

After the torrid display on Saturday, Bayern could be forgiven for trying to get the edge by wearing liverpool t-shirts!

He already has contributed immensely by the way of assists and scoring. He also has goals against English clubs like Manchester City and Chelsea this campaign. However, he missed the weekend’s encounter against Nurenberg after having to undergo surgery for a minor complication. Bayern Munich have revealed on their official site that the player will not be back in time for this match.

“An examination on Monday revealed that the bruise, which had pressed on a nerve, was completely removed at surgery last Thursday. After healing, the 30-year-old will begin exercise therapy later this week and a week later he will enter back into running training. This will mean he will miss the club’s next few games, including the first leg of the Champions League clash with Arsenal,” said an official statement on the club’s site. The player, however, is expected to be back for the second leg.