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Arsene Wenger reveals Arsenal star will not play against Paris Saint-Germain: This is why
ARSENE WENGER has revealed Arsenal defender Mathieu Debuchy is not ready for the intensity of the Champions League.
Arsenal vs PSG - Champions League match preview
Arsenal host Paris Saint-Germain tonight at the Emirates (7.45pm) and can assure themselves of top spot in Group A with victory.
But Mathieu Debuchy will not be on Arsene Wenger's team sheet, having not made a senior appearance since pre-season.
The French right-back lost his first-choice status to Hector Bellerin in the 2013/14 campaign through injury and was sent out on loan to Bordeaux for the second-half of last season.
He has returned to full training and has featured Arsenal's Under-23s, but Wenger insists the 31-year-old is still a fortnight away from first-team action.
Mathieu Debuchy not ready for Champions League
Mathieu Debuchy has returned to first-team training
Wenger said: “He’s close now. He has been injured many times and he’s had setbacks. He played only 70 minutes in the under-23s.
“I was hesitating to include him [against PSG]. For me he still hasn’t had enough competition for me to throw him into the intensity of a Champions League game.
“He still needs one or two more weeks. If he gets through this week well, I think he’ll come back into the group. He had a few setbacks that make me a bit hesitant.”
Bellerin has been ruled out for a month with ankle ligament damage, but Carl Jenkinson is expected to keep his place at right-back after starting against Manchester United on Saturday.
Mathieu Debuchy has only played for Arsenal's Under-23s this season
“Arsenal is one of the ten biggest clubs in the world, you cannot think that you have no competition,” Wenger added.
“We are in a highly competitive world, we’ve chosen this job and we have to accept it. We cannot be pampered and think we have the right to be there.
“It’s competition – that’s what we want, that’s what we love and that’s what we go for.
“Mathieu Debuchy has a fantastic mentality, he’s a great competitor and he will give a tough time to even Hector Bellerin when he’s back.”
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