Koscielny's World Cup hopes at risk after being injured

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London, May 4: Laurent Koscielny's World Cup participation could be in serious doubt after after injuring his Achilles tendon injury in Arsenal's 0-1 Europa League semifinal defeat to Atletico Madrid.

The France international went down off the ball in the eighth minute and immediately appeared to be in agony, holding his heel and beating the turf with his fist.

It was quickly decided to withdraw him and he was helped on to a stretcher before being carried off and replaced by Calum Chambers, with Atletico players – including international team-mate Antoine Griezmann – among the concerned onlookers.

Koscielny would have expected to be in the World Cup squad for France, whose campaign begins against Australia on June 16.

But after, after losing his footing at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger himself said it looked as if Koscielny had ruptured ligaments.

"It doesn't look very good, you can always hope that the scan will say something different but the first signs aren't very good," Wenger told a news conference.

"It looks like it could be ruptured although I'm a bit cautious, no-one can say that clinically at the moment."

Asked about Koscielny's chances of recovering in time for the World Cup, Wenger said: "That depends on the scan. If he has ruptured it the chances are non-existent."

(With OPTA/Agency inputs).