Arsenal will look to procure a vital three points in Wednesday's Champions League contest against Bayern Munich, the most frightening attacking force in the game today, without its best central defender.
The club announced prior to the opening whistle the French international Laurent Koscielny will start the match on the bench, making way for Gabriel Paulista and Per Mertesacker to marshal the backline.
.@6_LKOSCIELNY is on the bench for #BAYvAFC as a precaution due to a minor hip problem pic.twitter.com/Boj21qqp2t
— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) November 4, 2015
That the 30-year-old is on the bench at all is a positive sign, though it seems unlikely he will partake in the match at the Allianz Arena.