Wales vs Serbia - Chris Coleman confirms starting role for Aaron Ramsey against Serbia



Posted Saturday, November 12, 2016 by PA

Wales manager Chris Coleman has declared Aaron Ramsey fit for World Cup action after confirming the Arsenal midfielder will start Saturday's crunch qualifier against Serbia.

Ramsey has only just returned from a hamstring injury suffered on the opening day of the season and not completed 90 minutes since the Euro 2016 last-16 victory over Northern Ireland in June but Coileman

The 25-year-old has had only 113 minutes of first-team action for Arsenal since returning from an 11-week lay-off.

But Coleman has stressed Ramsey's importance as Wales attempt to overtake Group D leaders Serbia, saying: "He's ready and he looks great.

"He's not played too much football for Arsenal but, of course, he's going to start the game as we sit here now.

"However long he'll last, physically, we don't know. But we do know he's generally probably one of the fittest players playing football.

"Looking at the last two months, we have to see where he's at. But he'll start the game."

Ramsey was probably the stand-out player as Wales reached the semi-finals of Euro 2016 and was named in the official team of the tournament.

He was suspended for the semi-final defeat to Portugal and Coleman admits Wales have missed him during their opening three World Cup qualifiers.

Wales beat Moldova in their opening game before October draws against Austria and Georgia left them two points adrift of Serbia.

"Being without him for the first three games was a blow for us," Coleman said.

"It would be a blow for anyone, because when our games come around they are huge challenges.

"This is another and we've always got a great chance of beating anybody when we're at our strongest.

"But you have to say without Aaron Ramsey, take him out of any team and it's a loss."

Serbia captain Branislav Ivanovic is wary of a stronger Welsh side, both individually and collectively, since the last time both teams met in a qualifying campaign.

The hosts were thrashed 6-1 and 3-0 by Serbia in 2014 World Cup qualifying, with the Chelsea defender playing in both games.

Dragons boss Coleman has said Wales still carry a "scar" from those defeats, and Ivanovic insists the Group D leaders are prepared for a Welsh backlash at the Cardiff City Stadium.

Asked if he felt Wales had extra motivation following those defeats, the 32-year-old replied: "Yes, definitely. We know that and we have to be careful with that.

"We have to play much better than the last time to get something from the game because Wales is a completely different team from that moment.

"That kind of game (Serbia's 6-1 victory in Novi Sad in September 2012) maybe happens one time in 100 years."

Exactly a year later, Serbia became the last visitors to win a competitive game on Welsh soil when they claimed another comprehensive victory.

But since then Wales ended their 58-year wait to play at a major finals and made it all the way to the semi-finals of Euro 2016 last summer.

"I said when we started this group it is very difficult to win against one team three times in a row, even when the opponent is not that strong, and you can not say that of Wales," he added.

"They have Gareth Bale, who is the biggest star for Wales, but as a group they have been together for a couple of years and have got results.

"This is our first big away game and we are only thinking of how to perform and be on the same level as our first three games.

"We will see how the game will go, but this is definitely our hardest game in qualification so far."

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