Ljungberg admits cancer test fear

Ljungberg suffered lengthy injury problems

Arsenal's Freddie Ljungberg has revealed that he underwent tests for cancer during a lengthy lay-off with a mystery hip injury.

The 28-year-old Swede, who faces Manchester United in the FA Cup final in Cardiff, had an anxious fortnight as specialists tried to solve the problem.

He said: "I was frightened. I was tested but nobody seemed to know what was wrong with me.

"I had to have tests for cancer and other diseases - it wasn't much fun."

Ljungberg added: "I was getting a shooting pain in my hip and we didn't know what it was.

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"First of all we thought it was an old injury. But they didn't find anything wrong, even though when I had an ultrasound test it was all really swollen.

"Then they realised the glands in the hip had caused it by swelling up but still didn't know why I had the infection.

"So I had a lot of different tests because they had to find the reason why I was in so much pain."

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger confirmed that Ljungberg had a hip injury, but the extent of the problem was kept under wraps.

Ljungberg said: "When I didn't know any of the results I didn't want to talk about it. I wanted to know what was going on, to wait until I got the results.

"We now know that because the glands were swollen, the nerves were stuck when I moved. I had the surgery two weeks ago and felt better straight away."