Villarreal midfielder Robert Pires has accused the Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger of killing him when he substituted the former French international midfielder in the final of the UEFA Champions League in 2006.
Pires became a star at Premier League side Arsenal and is considered a legend by the Gunners. But he left the club in the summer of 2006, just days after he was substituted against the mighty FC Barcelona in the final of the UEFA Champions League in 2006 when he was substiuted when goalkeeper Jens Lehmann was sent off.
Arsenal and Villarreal had confronted in the semi-finals of Europe’s elite club competition that season and have been paired in the last 8 of the competition this time around. Pires shall now play against his former side for the first time and has already started to dig some of the ghosts.
Pires has been quoted by the British tabloid News of the World as saying: “My biggest disappointment was playing only 18 minutes in the Champions League final. Wenger killed me when he took me off,” explained Pires.
“For that reason, I could not stay at Arsenal and I moved to Villarreal.
“The final was played in Paris. All my family were there and I really suffered.” “Arsenal lack English players at the moment. That ingredient is very important and it’s missing.
“When I arrived, there were a lot of English players there and that is why we won. You need to have a mix in the dressing room. What I see now is that they lack that mix.
“I’m sure Arsenal won’t be happy with the Euro draw. The only thing in my head is to knock them out.”