Speaking to American football site ESPNsoccernet, Stuttgart attacker and Barelona loan out Alexander Hleb (28) has repeated that he regrets his move from Arsenal to Barcelona:"Of course I regret leaving Arsenal. I was playing every week for one of the most exciting sides in Europe, a team which was always in the top-four in the Premier League and were Champions League contenders.
Also, I was being guided by one of the best coaches in the world in Arsene Wenger. I owe him a great deal. I developed a better all-round game under him and I became more robust physically, learnt to look up more and play better passes and generally improved greatly as a team player. No player ever gets worse under Wenger.
For me, leaving Arsenal was not a good move. A footballer only exists when he takes to the field and makes a proper contribution to the team and even though I was part of a Barca squad that was almost unstoppable, it was hard not to feel detached from all the happiness and celebration at the end.
Barca were my dream club as a kid, but I couldn't continue with them if the chance to play was not coming. I'm 28 and who knows how much time I've left in the game. I needed to move on and the chance to go back to a place that I feel happy in was the best solution.
I'm happy to be back in Germany. It was more a pro-Stuttgart than an anti-Inter decision. I was coming off the back of a season almost entirely spent on the bench at Barca and just wanted to go to a team where I was completely comfortable and could play regularly.
I needed to bounce back at the first possible opportunity and returning to Stuttgart is a low-risk way of setting about it as this club is like home to me. Even though Bayern Munich showed interest in me and I was tempted, Stuttgart's offer overrode everything."
read the full interview report here
Read more:
Stuttgart wants to make Hleb loan permanent
Hleb regrets Barcelona move
OFFICIAL: Hleb to Stuttgart on loan
frett Said,
Be a man, Alex! Don't know what went wrong with this guy. Ok, he didn't get many chances, but still he didn't grab them either.
Posted on 12 August 2009 at 06:56
sho Said,
Shame he never settled at Barca as he is/was a FANTASTIC footballer/dribler
Posted on 12 August 2009 at 06:56
BA Said,
the disappointment runs both ways, Alex.
Posted on 12 August 2009 at 07:00
Anonymous Said,
Barca did regret either. I agree with him he should stay in Arsenal and not come to Barcelona. Cause Barca level high of what he can effort. I hope Gudjohnsen will leave too.
Posted on 12 August 2009 at 07:01
fcbee Said,
If he would have scored that chance at the end against Chelsea, he would still have been with us.
Posted on 12 August 2009 at 07:01
Anonymous Said,
"Hleb regrets leaving Arsenal for Barcelona"
Barcelona regret buyinh Hleb.
This guy has done nothing, he's had like what, 1 assist (Messi's second goal against Sevilla) and 1 pass that lead to an assist (real madrid, he passed Henry who then passed Messi who then scored).
Thats it. What a flop.
Posted on 12 August 2009 at 07:03
groga Said,
If you're 28 and you choose Stuttgart over Inter and Bayern, there's something terribly wrong. Great player, we didn't see his full potential, but he apparently cannot deal with competition.
Posted on 12 August 2009 at 07:03
Anonymous Said,
Captain Obvious strikes again.
Posted on 12 August 2009 at 07:15
declex d naija catalan Said,
he talks toooooo much.
Posted on 12 August 2009 at 07:17
Anonymous Said,
We also regret him.
Posted on 12 August 2009 at 07:20
JR Said,
Hleb has a losing mentality, something not needed at Barça.
Posted on 12 August 2009 at 07:28
moy Said,
Agreed that the competition at barca was too much for him, but rejecting inter and bayern munich, he has shown how low on confidence he is. Barca would have been better off selling him instead of loaning.I don't see him returning to nou camp.
Posted on 12 August 2009 at 07:36
Fenderek Said,
Apparently he didn't even try to learn the language... that means he pretty much gave up WITHOUT trying...
Posted on 12 August 2009 at 07:45
Anonymous Said,
hleb with a talent like u have, u shud have succeeded at barca. u didnt take ur chances. thats how it is mate.
Posted on 12 August 2009 at 08:22
ViCulé Said,
He's a damn baby! I saw him play with Stuttgart this weekend. He thinks he's cool now because he's starting but he still isn't all that good. Too bad he went to the German team I follow. haha
Posted on 12 August 2009 at 08:26
Anonymous Said,
Sport claim barca inquired about Arda Turan from Galatasaray... if we really want him we could get him in a split second, Rjikaard being their manager :)
Posted on 12 August 2009 at 08:28
HH Said,
argree with JR...
People come to Barca not for being in the top 4, they come to Barca for being the champions.
He had his chances but didn't grab it.
Posted on 12 August 2009 at 08:28
Knives Out Said,
His career with barca is finished.
Posted on 12 August 2009 at 08:32
i_love_boobs_and_barca Said,
He wanted to be the man in Barca, and Guardiola didn't allow him that. Because Pep is the man.
Posted on 12 August 2009 at 09:12
FC Franco Sucks !! Said,
Good riddance to a worthless crap !!
Posted on 12 August 2009 at 11:14
barca nike Said,
i regret the day i saw you
Posted on 12 August 2009 at 11:38
Bojanibra Said,
we also regret signing him,hw i wish we have signed henenes instead of this so called good mildfielder with experience.HLEB PLS DONT COME BACK AGAIN.
Posted on 12 August 2009 at 11:38
Anonymous Said,
so true ! fcbee said...
If he would have scored that chance at the end against Chelsea, he would still have been with us.
Posted on 12 August 2009 at 13:27
Anonymous Said,
I don't think so. Just because ypou score once shouldn't overshadow the fact that he was crap pretty much all season and didn't bring ANYTHING to this team.
Posted on 12 August 2009 at 14:03
Carrer de Corsega Said,
The only thing he achieved at Barcelona was becoming the second most talkative bench warmer in La Liga right behind Van der Vaart!!
Posted on 12 August 2009 at 15:49
Subhashis Said,
Good riddance you crap. You achieved nothing in arsenal, and whenever given chance in our club, you failed.
You are a mediocre player, and go and play in a mediocre club. Even Stittgart is not a fitting place for you.
Total crap...!!
Look at Gudjonsen...he mentioned that he would rather warm barca bench than play in any other team.
Broaden your heart...
Posted on 12 August 2009 at 19:11
Marws Said,
Hleb is a pathetic loser. Not choosing Inter is just because he is lazy. Inter means that he has to learn a new way of playing and learn a new language.
Posted on 13 August 2009 at 01:11