Robin van Persie has admitted he is devastated by the ankle injury which may have ended his season.
Dutchman bemoans ankle blow
Robin van Persie has admitted he is devastated by the ankle injury which may have ended his season.
Van Persie damaged his ligaments playing for Holland against Italy last month.
However, initial reports suggested six weeks at worst for the Dutch striker - who also went to Serbia for revolutionary placenta treatment, to try and speed up his recovery.
But further checks have now revealed that van Persie has ruptured his ligaments and now requires surgery.
Arsenal hope he will back in four months but he could be out for five, which would almost certainly end his season.
"If I had known at the time what I know now, I would have been operated [on] immediately," he told
AD Sportwereld.
"We have all been steered in the wrong direction.
"It is so frustrating to be out for months. I was having a super season with the team.
"I had never felt as strong and powerful as this year. Apart from, I think, two matches, I either scored or made goals in all the games we played this season.
"I was getting so strong, that I felt nobody could stop me any more. That is the greatest feeling you can have as a player.
"It is such a pity that great run has been stopped for the time being by one kick in a friendly international match.
"It is a real shame for me, for the team and for the fans of Arsenal, but I hope the boys keep believing in themselves. I am absolutely convinced they will keep improving and keep the good form of the last few months going,"
No placenta problem
Van Persie insisted that he has no regrets about his trip to Serbia for the placenta treatment, and admits it was impossible for it to work because of the extent of his injury.
"In the area of torn muscles and partly torn ligaments she has treated players in the majority of cases with success," Van Persie said.
"A number of Liverpool and Chelsea players have all benefited from her treatments. They were all back on the pitch in a very short time.
"As I was enjoying a fantastic period with Arsenal and the first official diagnosis from the doctors was that I would be out for six weeks, I wanted to bring that period back to three or four weeks.
"But the ligaments in my ankle were completely ruptured. That's why the treatment in Serbia, we know now, never had the chance to be successful from the start.
"I have never wanted to go for alternative medical help before. Normally I am too cool for that kind of thing, but because I wanted to grab every opportunity to get fit again and to be back on the pitch with Arsenal, I decided to have a go. If it does not help me, it won't harm me either. That was my motto.
"I had the treatment methods checked intensively before I went out there.
"I demanded to know if there was any way it could do any damage. It couldn't, which is why I went.
"A lot has been said and written about it. But the method of treatment in Serbia is not a bizarre thing. I did not have anything injected in my body. The treatment was solely on the surface.
"I was in continuous contact with the medical staff at Arsenal, with whom I have an excellent relationship.
"In fact, I admire our medical people at the club for giving me the chance to work on a really fast return into the team.
"A lot of other people made comments without having any knowledge of the treatment methods in Serbia."
