
Arsenal defender Gael Clichy has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a back injury.
The Gunners have been without their first-choice left-back since the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final with Villarreal at the beginning of April.
And, ahead of Sunday's Premier League meeting with London rivals Chelsea, manager Arsene Wenger has announced that Clichy will not be rushed back into action.
After being knocked out of the Champions League by Manchester United on Tuesday, Wenger does not want to take any risks in the 23-year-old's rehabilitation and will not call on his services again in the current campaign.
"It is finished," the Arsenal boss told the club's official website when asked about Clichy's season.
"We would have put a little pressure on the recovery period had we gone to the Champions League final. But now we will not take a gamble."
Wenger also has a slight doubt regarding Andrey Arshavin (flu) but the Russia international, who was ineligible for the defeat to United, is expected to face Chelsea.
"We have nobody really injured from Tuesday night," added Wenger on Thursday.
"Arshavin has some flu today so we sent him back home. But I believe he will be OK. So it will be the squad from Tuesday with Arshavin available."

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