Tomas Rosicky admits it is "heartbreaking" to be out injured again but the Arsenal midfielder insists he will recover from the thigh problem which manager Arsene Wenger says could end his career.
The 35-year-old had not played for the Gunners all season having been out with a knee injury before making his long-awaited comeback in the FA Cup fourth-round clash with Burnley.
But his emotional Emirates Stadium return ended in further agony as a thigh injury suffered just moments after his introduction from the bench has ruled him out for up to three months.
That leaves Rosicky in a race against time to be fit before the end of the campaign as Arsenal chase success in the Barclays Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League.
Wenger said on Friday morning that the former Borussia Dortmund man does not require surgery but refused to rule out the possibility of Rosicky never playing for the club again.
Asked if Rosicky had played his last game for Arsenal, the Frenchman said: ”I hope not, but the injury is quite a serious one. He will need surgery.”
The Czech Republic international, however, says he will fight to make it back — even though his current Arsenal contract expires at the end of the season.
“Obviously it is the worst thing (getting injured again) and the feeling I cannot give the fans anything back at the moment is frustrating,” he told Arsenal Player.
“It is heartbreaking I can’t give them anything back after the reception they prepared for me, but in life things will be thrown at you and you have to deal with it.
“You are defined by how you deal with these things and I will deal with it again and I will be back again.
“It’s been a hard few days for me to accept. Sometimes you always say that you can always do better or that you can always improve more and more, but I don’t know what more I could have done.
“I’ve always come back from everything and I will come back again, I will not give up. I will make it happen once more, I will have the strength to make it, I will find it and I will be back again.”
