Real Madrid midfielder Lassana Diarra has spoken of how he ‘learnt nothing from Arsene Wenger during his time at the Emirates. The emergence of Mathieu Flamini restricted the number of appearances from the former Chelsea man.
The 24 year old midfielder began his career with French club Le Harve before moving to England to play in the Premier League with Chelsea. Many thought the young Frenchman would become the natural successor to Claude Makelele – however he failed to lay down a first team place – especially after the emergence of Jon Obi Mikel. The midfielder then moved across London to Arsenal – where his lack of education, apparently, began.
Diarra has been with Real Madrid since January 2009 after signing from Portsmouth. The outspoken midfielder when recently asked by the Spanish press ‘what he had learned from Wenger?’ replied: Me? Nothing. I did not learn anything from Wenger. He just taught me to doubt everything. The relationship I had with him was not good. You cannot understand the whole world. I respect the way you train, but I learned more with [former Chelsea manager Jose] Mourinho. Mourinho taught me to fight. I spoke looking into his eyes. If you had a problem, it would be discussed. Wenger never addressed me until I told him I was going. He talked to others, but not me. I feel like I never played for Arsenal. If people do not remind me of them [Arsenal], I forget about them. It’s erased from my memory.”
