Arsenal without Wilshere for three weeks

Jack Wilshere will miss Wednesday's UEFA Champions League round of 16 second leg against FC Bayern München because of an ankle injury.

Wilshere, out for 17 months with an ankle problem sustained prior to the 2011/12 campaign, has been talismanic for the Gunners since returning to action in October. However, Arsène Wenger's side will have to do without him for Wednesday's trip to Munich, where they look to overturn a 3-1 first-leg defeat, and this weekend's Premier League game at Swansea City AFC. Wilshere is also set to miss England's FIFA World Cup qualifiers against San Marino and Montenegro later this month.

"He has an inflamed ankle, the other ankle to the one he injured [before]," Wenger said. "He will be out for three weeks. He has some bone bruising. The last time it deteriorated into a stress fracture. That's what we don't want to happen. We trust people who are specialists in this area. He was out for 17 months and we had to deal with it; we must be able to deal with it for two or three games."

Wenger must also do without goalscorer from the first leg Lukas Podolski in Germany, the club confirming that the forward will not be included in the 18-man squad after also picking up a knock to his ankle.