Gabriel feels he has nothing to prove to Arsenal and lifts lid on atmosphere under Wenger

Add as preferred source on Google

Arsenal host Valencia tonight in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final clash at the Emirates Stadium and will be pitted against a familiar face.

Former defender Gabriel did not have the best of times in north London, but after leaving for a fee the Independent claim was £11.3m in 2017, he has found his feet in Spain.

And ahead of the game, the no-nonsense defender has lifted the lid on that time. He said to the Independent: “I arrived during Arsene Wenger’s last years and you could feel something different in the locker room straight away.

“He was respected by all the players and staff, but the atmosphere was so noticeable. You could tell these were his last moments at the club. It showed. We knew he could go at any time.

“With all respect to Arsenal, I have nothing to prove to them. I tried to prove my worth but I didn’t get the chances. I deserved more opportunities. I had the ability to play…  But other people didn’t think so.”

Gabriel seems to be yet another player who struggled in the Premier League – whether through lack of opportunities or an inability to settle – but has flourished elsewhere.

There’s a debate to be had whether that’s because La Liga is a different standard – although Valencia’s European exploits provide a handy counter-balance to that – or whether these mega-rich English clubs just chew up and spit out players too easily these days.

Either way, Gabriel appears to have progressed beyond the level he was at with Arsenal, and such a fierce competitor would likely relish the opportunity to boot his former employers out of the Europa League in the coming week.