Ibrahim Afellay, who has been plagued by injuries since joining from PSV Eindhoven in 2011, will have an operation on Thursday

English heavyweights Manchester City and Arsenal slumped to surprise Champions League defeats on Wednesday leaving the former staring at a second successive exit at the group stage.

Schalke piled on the misery for Arsenal as the German side struck twice in the closing stages to clinch a shock 2-0 win in Wednesday's Champions League clash at the Emirates Stadium.

Champions League side Schalke 04 say they are close to signing Dutch midfielder Ibrahim Afellay on a year's loan from Spanish giants Barcelona with the transfer window to close on Friday night.

Despite spending almost the entire season on the sidelines injured, Barcelona winger Ibrahim Afellay was included in the Netherlands' final 23-man squad for Euro 2012 on Saturday.

Netherlands coach Bert van Marwijk on Monday announced a bumper preliminary squad of 36 players for Euro 2012 in Poland and the Ukraine, which begins on June 8.

Barcelona's Dutch international Ibrhim Afellay will be sidelined for about six months after he underwent surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left knee, the Spanish club said on Tuesday.

Barcelona's Dutch winger Ibrahim Afellay will need surgery after tearing a ligament in his left knee during training, the club has announced.