Villarreal vow to win for Cazorla

Robert Pirès says Villarreal CF would dedicate victory against Arsenal FC to team-mate Santi Cazorla after the Spain midfielder was ruled out for the season with a broken leg sustained on Saturday.

Operation
Injured when his studs caught in the turf during the 3-0 defeat at UD Almería, Cazorla was initially ruled out for up to six months, a figure reduced to three after scans confirmed that there was no serious ligament damage. The 24-year-old was set for a late-night operation in Valencia on Monday and hoped to receive permission to travel to El Madrigal to watch the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-final against the Gunners the following day.

Players upset
"The players are naturally really upset for Santi but the squad have talked about it and vowed to try and knock Arsenal out in order to dedicate a special victory to him," said Pirès. "Obviously a guy like that suffering such a blow has affected us because the importance of Santi to this side goes without saying. Now our task is to overcome it and win this thing for him."

'Attitude and enthusiasm'
Villarreal club doctor Juan Albors told uefa.com: "Santi's bearing up to the news with precisely the same attitude and enthusiasm that he brings to his everyday work. With months of recuperation to come that will be a very important quality." The No8 had been ever-present in the Liga this season since helping Spain to victory at UEFA EURO 2008™.