FC Porto boss Sérgio Conceição has ruled centre-forward Mehdi Taremi out of their game against Arsenal on Wednesday night.

Ahead of Arsenal’s match against FC Porto, the media broke the news of a potential absence for 31-year-old striker Mehdi Taremi.

Reports suggested Taremi had suffered a thigh injury in training, putting his participation in doubt.

Porto manager Sérgio Conceição has now confirmed the news, speaking in a press conference.

“Taremi is out,” Conceição conceded on Tuesday. “He has a problem with his adductor that I think you are aware of.”

Taremi had been a regular in Porto’s Champions League campaign so far, starting all six of their previous matches in the competition.

With two goals and two assists in those six games, Taremi was a big part of Porto’s progression to the knockout stages, but he’s now set to miss the first-leg of the last-16.

It hasn’t been a positive spell for Taremi with his club, given his recent absence for the AFC Asian Cup, and ongoing speculation around his future.

Taremi’s contract expires at the end of the season, and Conceição recently had to implore the fans to respect the player despite that deal running down.

“You have to have respect because he has respect for the club,” Conceição said. “Having returned from the trip to the Asian Cup he was available for training and to play in Arouca.

“There is no one who has a stronger feeling towards the club. If I felt that a player was not committed – he could even be called Maradona – he would not be with me.

“There are players who worked in an exemplary way until the last day, he is an excellent professional.”

That all being said, it seems Taremi won’t be available for his manager on this occasion. He’ll hope to be back for the second leg at the Emirates Stadium on March 12th.