Interview

‘Stay strong, Rob.’ Koscielny’s message to Holding

Laurent Koscielny has urged Rob Holding to “stay strong” as he begins his recovery from a serious knee injury.

The captain returned from his own seven-month absence on Thursday when he led us out against Qarabag in the Europa League, completing his rehabilitation from a ruptured Achilles.

Rob now faces his own long journey back to fitness after suffering knee ligament damage against Manchester United last week.

Laurent knows what his fellow centre back is going through, and says that Rob can rely on the Arsenal family.

“It’s a difficult period for him but he needs to be strong, and to stay strong,” said Laurent.

“I know he’s a defender so he likes to fight, and the most important thing is to be with him, to help him.

“We know during rehab you have some good moments and some bad moments, because you don’t always progress as you wanted. But he knows we are all here at Arsenal for him, we are his family as well.

“So if he wants to talk or come with us, he knows he can come because it’s our family.”