The ever controversial Hatem Ben Arfa has proven he has not changed since his Premier League days, by aiming a swipe at Unai Emery following Arsenal’s Europa League defeat.
Ben Arfa was part of the Rennes side who came from behind to topple the Gunners on Thursday night, and the winger couldn’t resist making a subtle dig. Emery was Ben Arfa’s manager during his ill-fated spell at PSG, which was supposed to be his big move onto the European stage but ultimately ended in disaster. The pair did not get on during their time together, with Ben Arfa’s attitude deemed not to be up to the expectations of the Parisian giants.
Ben Arfa clearly took some delight in Rennes’ surprise 3-1 victory, and made a point of commenting on Emery’s behaviour following the match. ‘I saw the same Emery, as agitated as ever. I looked over at him a few times and that made me laugh. He hasn’t changed’, said the winger. Ben Arfa initially impressed Emery during their time together in Paris. But over time, he lost patience with the winger, who has always flitted in and out of form during his career.
The former Newcastle man also did not have a great impression of Emery after playing just 23 times – mostly from the bench – following his super season at Nice. And then they fell out. According to an article in France Football from last year, it centred around PSG’s stunning exit from the Champions League at the hands of Barcelona.
That was a low in Emery’s reign, with PSG going out of the competition after conceding three goals in the space of six minutes.
Ben Arfa reacted by telling the now Arsenal boss that he would never get past the quarter-finals of the competition as a manager, even if he had the best team in the world. That was not all when it came to the relationship between the pair. The now 31-year-old would also do impressions of Emery attempting to speak French when around other players in the dressing room. Arsenal must overturn the deficit when Rennes visit the Emirates Stadium. A 2-0 scoreline, without reply, would be enough for the Gunners to go through via an away goal.