Unai Emery confirmed Aaron Ramsey has played his last match for Arsenal after tearing his hamstring in the quarter-final against Napoli.
The Welshman has agreed to join Juventus on a free transfer in the summer after running down his Gunners contract. But the Arsenal boss said he will not even be fit if his club reach the Europa League final on May 29.
Skipper Laurent Koscielny paid tribute: "Of course he played so many years here. It is so important for the club and the player. What I like about Aaron is that we know he has signed for Juventus but he is still a professional and still fights for the club and the team. Sometimes you get players who stop fighting for the club and team. I like him. I miss him.”
Asked his most important goal, the Frenchman added: “The first FA Cup we won. He scored in extra time. He gave us this trophy. That is the memory I will keep.”
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Koscielny returns the semi-final of the Europa League on Thursday, claiming his horror injury sustained last year changed his outlook on life.
The Arsenal defender missed France's World Cup win after damaging his Achilles tendon in the last four clash with Atletico Madrid.
Now the Gunners are back to the semi-finals against a different Spanish team – Valencia – as they bid to win their first European trophy since 1994.
Koscielny, who returned to action in December, recalled: “For me it was a bad moment in my career and my life. You grow up as a football player and a man. You fight with yourself because you are a competititor.
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"I did this for seven months. It is not about my age or my injury. It was a big challenge to fight against my injury and I think I did well. I am positive with this. It is a new semi-final against a new Spanish team. My life now is with this moment and I need to live with it. Now it is ok.”
Asked what he had learned during his convalescence, the Gunners defender added: “I think sometimes you are focused on small things. It is not dangerous but it is not good for you. It is a difficult experience but I loved it because sometimes your eyes are opened more than before. When you don't know the injury, it is difficult.
“Now it is OK, it is behind me and I am very positive about where I am. I always fight for my club and my family.”
PROBABLE TEAMS
ARSENAL Cech; Sokratis, Koscielny, Monreal; Maitland-Niles, Xhaka, Torreira, Kolasinac; Ozil; Aubameyang, Lacazette.
VALENCIA Neto; Piccini, Garay, Gabriel, Gaya; Soler, Wass, Parejo, Guedes; Gameiro, Rodrigo.
Referee: C Turpin (France)
