Mikel Arteta: Granit Xhaka took ‘huge decision’ to reveal feelings on Arsenal fan taunts in Crystal Palace match
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Updated 15/04/2022 at 16:22 GMT
The 29-year-old hopes to repair his relationship with the Arsenal fans, but admits that incident will always be in the back of his mind. “My head had left Arsenal, but my heart had not. My heart was telling me, ‘You can’t leave this football club like this’. “Mikel and I didn’t speak about my future again, because after six months I was happy. Today I know I made the right decision."
Xhaka took 'huge decision' in opening up about Arsenal fan taunts - Arteta
Mikel Arteta says Granit Xhaka took a huge decision to reveal his feelings on the taunts from Arsenal fans, as the Swiss midfielder recounted being booed off the pitch during a 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace in October 2019.
Xhaka set the record straight in a revealing piece for the Players’ Tribune, and Arteta commended his bravery for speaking up on an unsavoury day for the former Gunners captain.
He said: "I would not like to go into detail of (about) what happened there.
“I think the importance of how things have developed is that for Granit (Xhaka), with his prominent personality and the way he is, to have the capacity and to feel that the environment is right for him now to open up and show vulnerability, show the feelings that he had and speak loudly about it and openly - I think it is a huge decision.
“And to do that, you have to be emotionally really well and you have to be prepared and mature to do that. And not a lot of people are able to do that."
Xhaka revealed just how close he was to leaving Arsenal in the article, saying: “My bags were packed. The passports were out. I was done with Arsenal. Finished.
“There was a contract on the table from another club, and all I had to do was sign. I had talked with my wife, Leonita, and we had decided to leave.
“I was just going to say goodbye to Mikel, and then we would board the plane.”
“When I close my eyes now, I can still see their faces. I can see their anger.
“It’s not that they don’t like me. No, it’s different. This is hate. Pure hate. I am really not exaggerating this.”
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Granit Xhaka was booed off the pitch.
Image credit: Getty Images
The 29-year-old hopes to repair his relationship with the Arsenal fans, but admits that incident will always be in the back of his mind.
“My head had left Arsenal, but my heart had not. My heart was telling me, ‘You can’t leave this football club like this’.
“Mikel and I didn’t speak about my future again, because after six months I was happy. Today I know I made the right decision, absolutely, because I’m still here. But I can’t pretend that my relationship with the fans will ever be the same, because that moment will always be in my heart.
“It’s like broken glass, you know? You can piece it together, but the cracks will always be there.
“I would like us to have a better relationship. I would like us to understand each other better. That is exactly why I’m telling you all this.”
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