Szczesny out of Arsenal's Champions League opener against Montpellier

Sep 17, 2012 4:20:00 PM

Vito Mannone is expected to step in for the Pole, as he did during the 22-year-old's Premier League absence earlier in the season against Stoke City and Liverpool

Wojciech Szczesny is out of Arsenal‘s opening Champions League fixture against Montpellier with an ankle injury.

The first-choice goalkeeper suffered the injury during the warm-up before the Gunners’ clash with Southampton on Saturday, which they won 6-1.

The Pole still played the full 90 minutes, though, but made a mistake led to the newly promoted side netting a consolation.

Following the knock, the 22-year-old has not travelled with the squad for Tuesday’s match against the Ligue 1 champions, with Vito Mannone once again deputising in goal for the Poland international.

Szczesny played in the Premier League opening day 0-0 draw with Sunderland, but then missed the following stalemate with Stoke City, after failing a late fitness test, and sat out the win over Liverpool.

Mannone has represented Arsenal in the Champions League before, stepping in against Standard Liege for his first appearance in the competition in 2009, where he conceded twice in the first five minutes.

The former Atalanta man fared better in his second opportunity, keeping a clean sheet against Olympiacos in the same campaign before going on to face the Greek side once more in the 2011-12 season.

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