Fabregas drops ‘want to join Barcelona’ bombshell on Wenger

May 19, 2010 By Leave a Comment

London, May 19 (ANI): Arsenal skipper Cesc Fabregas has informed Gunners boss Arsene Wenger that he wants to join Barcelona this summer.

Fabregas broke the news to Wenger on Tuesday morning, which has left the Gunners boss upset and shell-shocked.

Fabregas, 23, now hopes Arsenal can strike a swift 30 million pounds deal with Barcelona so he can focus on helping Spain win the World Cup, The Sun reports.

Earlier he had said: “I’d love to join Barcelona. If I ever leave Arsenal it will be to play for Barcelona. I would like to go, whether they want me or not is another matter.”

“I am 23 years old and I have a long career in front of me. I’ve never hidden the fact that playing for Barcelona is a dream that I would like to fulfill,” reports from Spain quoted Fabregas, as saying.

“I would like to know my future before the World Cup because to play with other things in my head will not benefit anyone,” he said.

Fabregas’ move will come as a huge shock to Arsenal fans who were desperately hoping their best player would stay at the club. (ANI)

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Fabregas will love to join Barcelona

May 14, 2010 By Leave a Comment

London, May 14 (ANI): Arsenal skipper Cesc Fabregas will love to join Barcelona and will decide on his future this weekend after having crunch talks with Gunners boss Arsene Wenger.

“I’d love to join Barcelona. If I ever leave Arsenal it will be to play for Barcelona. I would like to go, whether they want me or not is another matter,” reports from Spain quoted Fabregas, as saying.

“I am 23 years old and I have a long career in front of me. I’ve never hidden the fact that playing for Barcelona is a dream that I would like to fulfil,” he said.

Fabregas, recovering from a broken leg, wants the matter resolved quickly so he can concentrate on helping Spain in the World Cup, The Sun reports.

“I would like to know my future before the World Cup because to play with other things in my head will not benefit anyone,” he said.

Fabregas’ move will come as a huge shock to Arsenal fans who were desperately hoping their best player would stay at the club.

According to Spanish sources, he is also concerned about Wenger’s long-term intentions.

The Arsenal boss only has a year left on his own contract – and has not yet agreed to carry on after that.(ANI)

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Adebayor assures of good gestures for Man City-Arsenal clash

April 24, 2010 By Leave a Comment

London, Apr 24 (ANI): Togolese striker Emmanuel Adebayor has given assurances about unproved behaviour when he lines up for Manchester City during their Premier League game against Arsenal at the Emirates stadium.

Adebayor is widely expected to be on the receiving end of much torment following his infamous discretions during Arsenal”s away fixture at Eastlands, where he ran the length of the field to celebrate a goal in front of the Gunners fans.

”The Togo ace, who left Arsenal in the summer for 25million pound, was fined 25,000 pound by the Football Association (FA) for the provocative celebration. He also received a three-match ban for violent conduct after stamping on Robin van Persie”s face in the same match,” reports The Sun.

“The match against Arsenal is very important for us. If I score I will celebrate with my fans,” said the 26-year-old Manchester City striker.

“I am calm about the game and do not desire any controversy with the Gunners supporters. I always try to be respectful on the pitch. I was very professional during my stay in Arsenal and nobody could doubt that,” he added.

Emirates Boss Arsene Wenger hopes the Arsenal fans show respect to Adebayor on his return, and is expected to urge Van Persie not to seek revenge on Adebayor.

The Dutchman is eager to start his first game in five months after an ankle injury.

“Robin was upset and rightly so. I will have a word. He is ready to start but I will decide in the morning. It will not only be the return of Adebayor but also for Patrick Vieira and Kolo Toure,” said Wenger.

“We”ll welcome them. We always have the same line of conduct to respect what they”ve done for us. And we want our fans to respect that as well,” he added. (ANI)

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I’ll always be an Arsenal fan: Henry

March 30, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Barcelona’s Thierry Henry admits that he will always be an Arsenal fan despite hoping to deliver a knock-out blow to his former club’s Champions League hopes this week.

Barcelona travels to the Emirates Stadium for the first leg of their quarter-final tie, with the 32-year-old French striker insisting it will be an emotional evening.

Henry has not had to face Arsenal since he joined the Spanish giants in June 2007 in a four-year deal.

“Since I joined Barcelona I have only been back to Arsenal on one occasion. It was when they played Blackburn three or four months ago. I don’t know how people will react,” he said, adding he sees himself as an Arsenal supporter.

“I will always be one. When Arsenal play and I can see the game you can be sure to find me in front of a television.”

Henry was the English league’s leading scorer on four occasions during his eight years in London.

He was voted the best player in the Gunners’ history in a recent online poll carried out on Arsenal’s official club website.

“When you play in a team your aim is to give everything and after the people can look back and judge,” he said when asked about the poll’s results.

“I have a special relationship with Arsenal fans. It is like a trophy. A trophy of affection.”

-AFP

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Henry pained to face ex-club Arsenal in Champions League quarterfinal

March 23, 2010 By Leave a Comment

London, Mar 23 (ANI): Barcelona striker Thierry Henry has revealed that his heart sank when he learned his Barcelona side had been drawn against Arsenal in the Champions League.

Henry, a former Arsenal skipper, scored 226 goals in 380 appearances for them in eight years before joining Barcelona in 2007.

The French striker said he doesn’t want to play against his old side and certainly would not celebrate if he scored against them in the quarterfinal ties.

“Whenever there is a draw for the Champions League I am in pain. I’m not saying I won’t try to fight or whatever, because that’s the way the game is. But I don’t want to play against Arsenal,” The Daily Express quoted Henry, as saying.

He is set to play against the Gunners for the first time since leaving in the quarter-finalfirst leg on March 31 at the Emirates Stadium. He said: “It will be weird for me to step on the pitch, even if it’s at the Emirates and not Highbury, with another club’s shirt on.”

And, asked if he would celebrate a goal, he said: “Forget about it. No. I do not want to play against Arsenal, simple as that. The bond that I have with the Arsenal fans I will never get anywhere else, because I don’t think I will ever play for another team for that long.

“Eight years – I don’t think I will be with another team for eight years because I am getting old now.” (ANI)

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Adebayor not scared of playing on Arsenal home ground

September 14, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, Sep 14(ANI): Manchester City striker Emmanuel Adebayor has said that he is not scared of playing in front of fans of his former club Arsenal on April 24 next year.

Manchester City’s home encounter with Arsenal had Adebayor facing his old teammates, where he stamped on former team-mate Robin van Persie’s head and later sparked trouble by running 80 yards to celebrate his goal in front of Arsenal supporters at Eastlands.

“I can go and play at the Emirates for the return game, why not? I play for Manchester City and if they want me to go and play, I will play,” The Sun quoted Adebayor, as saying.

Adebayor is likely to face an improper conduct charges and faces a six-match ban after his clash with Van Persie left a cut on his (Van Persie) cheek.

In another incident, one steward was taken to hospital and fans were injured as trouble flared after Adebayor taunted the visitors at Eastlands.

“I was at the game. So, I saw it with my own eyes. I was pretty unimpressed because the problems between the Arsenal fans and Adebayor are well documented, but he still ran the whole length of the field to celebrate,” said Ian Watmore, CEO of FA. (ANI)

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Man City’s Adebayor says he does not know what wrong he has done

September 14, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, Sep.14 (ANI): Manchester City star Emmanuel Adebayor has said that he is not sure what wrong he has done to merit so much criticism from the soccer fraternity and fans.

Last night, he told The Sun: “I don’t know what I’ve done wrong” – despite sparking weekend scenes that shamed football.

Arsenal fans clashed with police and stewards after Adebayor ran the length of the pitch to celebrate his 80th-minute goal in front of them.

He faced widespread calls for a ban after the “horrific” crowd surge, in which a bottle that was thrown at him knocked out a steward.

Adebayor, who left the Gunners for City in a 25-million-pound summer transfer, was also blasted by ex-team-mate Robin van Persie, for stamping on his face.

The Greater Manchester Police and the Football Association has launched an investigation into the ugly events that marred Saturday’s Premier League clash at Eastlands. (ANI)

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Do not to abuse Adebayor, Wenger asks Arsenal fans

September 12, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, Sep 12 (ANI): Arsene Wenger has pleaded with Arsenal fans not to abuse Manu Adebayor.

Manchester City’s 25 million pounds strike ace faces his old club for the first time at Eastlands today, and Gunners boss Wenger said: “I want all our former players to be respected.”

“They have done fantastic things for us and they should get our full respect for that,” The Sun quoted him, as saying.

Wenger, verbally abused by United fans at Old Trafford last month, added: “City got a great striker and we got a reasonable price.”

City boss Mark Hughes reckons Adebayor, 25, is angry at the way Arsenal fans treated his summer signing.

“I think Emmanuel is upset. It’s certainly something that has affected him quite deeply. He has no problem with Arsenal Football Club itself because he sees it as a huge part of his football life,” Hughes said.

“But you just sense, and he’s said it himself, he can’t quite understand why the Arsenal fans turned against him. I think that’s maybe why we’re getting the benefit of how he’s playing.

City fans love him. I’d suggest they have never seen a player like Manu in a blue shirt,” he added. (ANI)

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Henry may return to Arsenal, says Wenger

May 24, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, May 24 (ANI): Star footballer Thierry Henry may don Arsenal’s jersey once again after his contract ends with Barcelona.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger dropped the bombshell about Henry’s return to his former club, days before his former talisman prepares for Wednesday’s Champions League final against Manchester United.

Wegner said Henry still loves Arsenal so much that he continues to watch all Gunners games, including the reserves.

When asked about the possibility of Henry’s return, he said: “Of course, I hope for the club to have people of his quality.”

Although he accepted the fact that Henry may not remain the same tactful mover on the pitch after his return as he would have turned 35 then.

“It would be difficult as a player because in 2010 he will be 33 and I think he still has one or two years to go on his contract at Barcelona. But he has a very strong link with this club and was a massive influence here,” The Sunday Express quoted Wenger, as saying.

Meanwhile, Stoke City’s boss Tony Pulis said the he considers it ‘ridiculous’ that Wenger is getting stick from Arsenal fans.The very thought that Wenger is even being questioned is bizarre,” Pulis said. (ANI)

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Manchester City steps up the chase for Arsenal’s Adebayor

May 24, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, May 24 (ANI): Manchester City officials have reportedly stepped up their chase to snare Arsenal’s Emmanuel Adebayor, though the striker has just signed an 80,000-pound-a-week deal with the Gunners.

According to News of The World, Manchester City have asked his Adebayor’s agent Stephane Courbis to be kept up with developments as the African looks for the Emirates exit.

A source said: “City made their interest known and have no problem finding the fee or increasing his pay. It is not definite Adebayor will leave Arsenal but looks more likely than last year.”

The Togo international spent last summer trying to engineer a move and was booed by the Arsenal fans last pre-season. He did sign a four-year deal last August.

However, Arsenal sources say the player and Wenger have an agreement he would play one more year before looking at his options again. (ANI)

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Rooney wants to ram title taunts of Arsenal fans

May 15, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, May 15 (ANI): Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney wants to ram the title taunts of Arsenal fans back down their throats by clinching a hat-trick of English Premier League championships at Old Trafford.

The Gunners’ followers have never stopped reminding Manchester United that they wrapped up the 2001-02 title with a 1-0 win at Old Trafford courtesy of Sylvain Wiltord’s goal, The Daily Express reported.

“We are six points clear now and hopefully the point we need will come on Saturday. It would be great to win it against Arsenal, too, because when they come to Old Trafford we always hear them singing about winning the title at our ground,” said Rooney.

“So it would be nice to do it ourselves against them. And it would certainly be great to do it in front of our own fans. The manager has said that it has only happened once for this club in the 17 years that the Premier League has been going,” he added.

Rooney admits there is a far more pragmatic reason for wrapping up the title on Sunday to give United 11 days preparation time for the Champions League final against Barcelona in Rome without the distraction of needing anything from their final domestic game at Hull a week on Sunday.

“It is important to get it done on Saturday so we can get a rest before the Champions League final. It will give the manager options for that final game.

“We don’t want to be going Hull needing something so close to that final, because we know with the position they are in that would be a difficult game. They are fighting desperately to stay in the Premier League,” Rooney said. (ANI)

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Arsenal fan commits suicide after team’s loss to Man U

May 7, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, May 7 (ANI): An Arsenal fan has hanged himself after his team lost 3-1 to Manchester United in the Champions League semi final last night.

English clubs enjoy a passionate following among Kenyan locals and Suleiman Alphonso Omondi (29) from Nairobi was found dead at his home just hours after Arsenal slumped out of the coveted competition.

Police confirmed football-mad Omondi was wearing his Arsenal shirt when he took his own life, SKY News reported.

Omondi’s friend Calvin Otieno said: “We were watching the match at Bamba 70 pub, and when Arsenal were defeated, Suleiman just walked out in protest and he was crying.”

“We didn’t know he was going to hang himself until this morning when we received the reports and came here to find his body at the balcony,” he added.

Football related tragedies are frequent in Kenya, where English clubs enjoy a passionate following among the locals.

European games, in particular the UEFA Champions League, attract more attention than national and continental fixtures.

For many Arsenal fans, the tie was a chance to overcome a disappointing season. It has been four years since the Gunners won a domestic or European trophy. (ANI)

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