Alexander Hleb and Arsene Wenger (Picture by Hamish Blair, Catherine Ivill/Getty Pictures)
Former Arsenal star Alexander Hleb has been remarkably open in recent times about how a lot he regrets his determination to depart the Gunners and be part of Barcelona in 2008.
The previous Belarus worldwide divided opinion for a lot of his time at Arsenal, having began slowly earlier than actually beginning to present glimpses of his greatest kind in his closing season on the Emirates Stadium.
That prompted Barca to maneuver for Hleb, and issues went downhill from there, with the silky playmaker not getting a lot taking part in time in that well-known Pep Guardiola aspect.
Even when Hleb seemed like match for the Barcelona type of play, there was merely an excessive amount of competitors from so many world class attacking midfield gamers there on the time, so it’s maybe not too stunning that he spent plenty of time warming the bench.
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Nonetheless, it appears Hleb additionally had his doubts about leaving Arsenal earlier than the transfer even went by, and one imagines that affected his confidence.
Talking on a podcast again in 2020, Hleb revealed that he cried throughout conferences with Arsene Wenger, who tried to speak him into staying at Arsenal, while including that he was completely completely satisfied in north London and doesn’t know why he left.
Alex Hleb: I don’t perceive why I left Arsenal
“A few years later and I nonetheless give it some thought,” Hleb mentioned. “I don’t perceive. To today I nonetheless don’t perceive what occurred or why I made the choice.
Alex Hleb on the Barcelona bench (Picture by Denis Doyle/Getty Pictures)
“In fact, Barcelona in that second was the very best group on this planet however I used to be actually completely satisfied at Arsenal on the time. I had pals, I loved the coach, I used to be taking part in for among the finest groups, the followers, the stadium, every little thing! The incredible championship, the Premier League, every little thing!
“Why I left, I don’t perceive. Barca, in fact, had been the very best group on the time and everyone needs one thing to attempt however actually I used to be 100 per cent completely satisfied at Arsenal.
“I cried once I talked to Arsene [Wenger]. We talked within the vacation earlier than I left and he instructed me he needed to maintain me and I used to be essential. I cried. I didn’t know what to do in that second.
“In fact, Barca is a incredible group. I received titles and every little thing however I didn’t play as a lot as I did at Arsenal. That is solely my mistake as a result of on the time, plenty of issues occurred in my personal life. I began very nervously [at Barcelona]. At all times aggressive. It was solely my mistake.
“This isn’t a state of affairs the place Guardiola didn’t belief me or one thing like that. No, that is solely my mistake. At Arsenal I used to be completely satisfied, you recognize? While you’re completely satisfied within the group, you should keep.”
Clearly, a giant transfer isn’t the no-brainer that some followers and pundits make it out to be – Hleb was completely completely satisfied at Arsenal and would possible have achieved higher to easily keep put.
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This occurred throughout a usually troublesome interval for the Gunners, with different key gamers comparable to Thierry Henry, Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie additionally leaving the membership inside the house of some years.
Most of these strikes labored out higher than Hleb’s did although, however we’re certain there’ll be quite a lot of different gamers on the market whose massive strikes didn’t go as they anticipated.