Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger insists Cesc Fabregas did not start this week's 2-2 draw with Barcelona with a broken leg.

The Gunners captain was involved in a collision with Carles Puyol towards the end of the European tie, which saw the Barcelona defender sent off and the midfielder smash home the resulting penalty to earn a 2-2 draw.

Afterwards, though, the Spain international was unable to run properly, leaving the stadium on crutches and fearing the worst.

Arsenal have confirmed Fabregas had indeed suffered a small crack in his right fibula and would need around six weeks' recovery time.

Wenger stressed there had been no risks taken with the midfielder.

"There were some suggestions that he played with a broken bone - that is not true," said the Arsenal manager. "We had two independent doctors with X-rays who clarified the bone was perfectly okay, a bruised bone, but not broken before the [Barcelona] game.

"I am 100 per cent confident and I checked that this morning with our medical team. There is no doubt about that. Medically we were clear. Cesc had a test on the morning of the game, he had another test on the warm-up.

"It was in my mind if he had said, 'No I feel pain', I would never force anybody to play. I asked him after the warm-up if he felt perfectly all right and he said yes. He had not a broken bone before the game started."

Wenger claims Arsenal have pinpointed the moment at which Fabregas suffered the break.

He explained: "We believe that it is from the kick of Puyol on the penalty when he kicks him through the legs. It is on exactly the place where he got kicked against Birmingham.

"He got the crack on his bone, that means he already had a bruised bone before the game and the kick on it made it split."