Lassana Diarra no hold back when e yarn about im time under Arsene Wenger for Arsenal. Diarra, wey be 41 years old now, tok say Wenger break im word after e sign for Gunners from Chelsea for 2007.
Diarra leave Chelsea join Arsenal for transfer deadline day for summer 2007, but after only five months, e wan comot. E talk say im no dey get regular game wey dem promise am. For interview with L’Equipe, Diarra say: “We dey middle of December, and I don decide: I want leave Arsenal. The coach no need me. Dem no want me. I no understand, because I get more value for French national team.”
E continue: “When I sign for Arsenal, dem make promises to me. But since start of season, the only matches wey I play na small-small ones, and I don tire. With Mr Wenger, no problem. I no go criticize am. But I sign because dem make me believe say I go dey play, and competition go dey. That no happen.”
Diarra eventually join Portsmouth for January 2008, and e win FA Cup with dem four months later. Im performances for Fratton Park make Real Madrid pay £17 million to sign am after only 11 months for Premier League.
After e settle for Madrid, Diarra talk against Wenger again. When Spanish paper El Pais ask am wetin e learn from Wenger, Diarra answer: “Me? Nothing. I no learn anything from Wenger. E just teach me to doubt everything. The relationship wey I get with am no good. You no fit understand everybody.”
Diarra praise Jose Mourinho well-well, wey e work with for Chelsea and Madrid. E say: “I respect how you train, but I learn more with Mourinho. E teach me to fight. If you get problem, we go discuss am. Wenger never address me until I tell am I dey go. E talk to others, but no to me. I feel like I never play for Arsenal. If people no remind me of dem, I forget dem. E don erase from my memory.”
After three seasons for Real Madrid, Diarra move to Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala, then Lokomotiv Moscow. E return to France with Marseille, spend two years there, then brief stint for Al Jazira for Emirates. E finish im career for Paris Saint-Germain for 2019, after one season for Parc des Princes.
