BACARY SAGNA has spoken about the agony over
his brother’s death.
The Arsenal right-back’s brother Omar died suddenly a
week before the Champions League first leg against AC Milan.
The French defender, who is preparing for the second
leg in Italy tomorrow, said: “My father told me to come back and
play in the Milan game. So that’s why I did, I had to keep my head
high.
“Now I have to show everyone that I am strong, to
show my family I am strong and to carry on with my team-mates.
“Everyone at the club gave me support and that helped
me so much.
“It’s difficult to talk about it but I really want to
thank everyone at Arsenal for what they have done for me in the
past few days, the players the staff and everyone.
“I especially want to thank Gael Clichy and his
girlfriend because they were so helpful to me.
“We need to win now for Eduardo and for my
brother.”
Arsenal’s hopes of progressing in the Champions League
have been boosted as Milan’s experienced midfielder Clarence
Seedorf is out with a hamstring problem. Milan have already lost
Kaka to injury, while Emerson is struggling to be fit.
But boss Carlo Ancelotti said: “I think if we had
played the first leg at home and it had ended 0-0, we would go
there with a bit more fear. So maybe we have less fear than
them.”
Meanwhile, Martin O’Neill has branded Arsene Wenger “a
bad mathematician”.
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Villa boss O’Neill saw his team denied three points by Nicklas
Bendtner’s equaliser in added time. After the match, Gunners boss
Wenger argued that Arsenal commit the least fouls in the league and
are the most fouled themselves.
O’Neill blasted: “While Arsenal are a very good side,
they can’t just corner the market on being the only side that has
to resist a challenge. They put in a few challenges themselves.
"He said they were the most fouled team and they were
this, this and this.
"Then a stat said they were the 12th most fouled team
and another stat had Manchester United as the most fouled team.
“He’s a brilliant manager but a bad mathematician.”
Told Wenger had an economics degree, O’Neill added:
“Then I’d better get one!”