Bacary Sagna interview: Gunners can’t lose another game

In an exclusive interview with Megadice, Gunners Legend Bacary Sagna says Mikel Arteta’s team can’t afford to lose another game.

Premier League observations

Question: Thoughts on the title race

Bacary Sagna: “I think it’s too early to guess who’s going to be champion. Of course, Liverpool have some advantages, but you know City are specialists at closing the gap, so surely they’re going to come back into fitness and into form. Towards the end of season, they’re going to put pressure on Liverpool.

City didn’t have the greatest start. This is a big part of their life, but you know after being champions so many times – four times in a row – it’s always difficult because whenever you lose people withdraw. The team withdraws, the performances withdraw, the work ethic withdraws. Everyone starts saying that the team is gone, and their dominance is coming to an end. There is only a five-point difference between Liverpool and City. It’s only two games. So, City is far from out of the title race.

It’s more disturbing for Arsenal because they’re in fourth position, and they have a lot of disadvantages being nine points behind Liverpool. Arsenal are still in the race, but they know that they will have to be practically perfect from now on. Arsenal can’t afford to drop any points. It’s frustrating for them to be nine points behind Liverpool after eleven games.” 

Even though City are currently second, I still think that they’re favourites. 

Q: Thoughts on top four

Bacary Sagna: “I think Newcastle are the team that will secure the final Champions League place. Newcastle has been playing well. They have good players, they have consistency, and they have a good coach. 

They have a great project at Newcastle. They play without any pressure because I don’t think anyone tipped them to finish in the top four this season. 

They have a great investor, but he’s composed. They’re not just buying players; they want to build a team, and they’ve managed to slowly improve their squad and are capable of beating any of the bigger teams in the Premier League.

I don’t see Fulham or Brighton keeping up with the pace because at some point, when you’re not used to competing for a place in the top four, players might think it’s enough for them to be in the top six or eight. 

Newcastle are hopeful of playing in the Champions League, and the club is used to playing for those objectives, which is not the case for Fulham, Brighton and Nottingham Forest.

Newcastle is the most serious contender for the Champions League.” 

Q: If you had to name one player that has really stood out for you, who would it be and why? 

Bacary Sagna: “I was looking forward to seeing Oscar Bobb this season, because he had an amazing pre-season, but he got injured. I’m really looking forward to seeing him back in the squad and playing when he’s ready because he’s a player that can have a big impact at Man City. 

If I have to say a name of a player that has amazed me, it’s Savinho. Savinho is amazing. He’s a copy of Mahrez. The movement, the fact that he can take on players one-on-one is exciting.” 

Q: Who is the player or players that you’ve expected more from this season? 

Bacary Sagna: “Marcus Rashford is the player that I have expected more from. I love him as a player. I know how good he is. I know he’s an amazing because I played against him. 

He’s a complete striker. He has everything. He’s fast, and I think the challenge of having to impress a new manager in Ruben Amorim will bring the best out of him. It’s as if the season really starts now for him. 

He doesn’t seem to be happy at United for some reason, but I’ve been disappointed with his performances this season because I have big expectations from him.

I know the player and he’s one of the best strikers I’ve played against. So, of course I would like him to score in every single game and to shine in every single game, but he hasn’t been able to do it, and that’s a disappointment that bothers me because he’s probably one of the strikers I rate really highly in the Premier League. 

When you have a player with such a big talent like Rashford, you expect them to score 20, 25, 30 goals a season. He definitely has the talent to do that, but it’s not happening. That’s why I’m disappointed because he has so much to give. 

I have faith in him, and I hope he gets his confidence back and comes back to his level. Ruben Amorim can have a very positive impact on him, and he will bring new energy to Manchester United. I’m really looking forward to seeing Rashford smiling again and enjoying his football. I think Amorim will get that out of him. If he can, then Manchester United have got a top, top player on their hands.” 

Q: At this moment in time, who would you consider to be the best right back in the Premier League? 

Bacary Sagna: “At the minute, I really like Malo Gusto at Chelsea. I think he has the potential to become the best right back in the Premier League. He’s been excellent this season. 

Gusto is so energetic. He’s good one-on-one; he’s dynamic. His decision-making regarding defensive and offensive positioning is really good. I think he’s one to watch.

I’ve been watching him since he was at Lyon. He’s doing well with Chelsea, and he’s still young. You can rely on him to do the job. 

Of course, there are other great right backs in the Premier League, players that have been in the game for a long time, but at the moment, he’s one of the best in the league.”

Q: Who would you name as the best three defenders in the Premier League? 

Bacary Sagna: “William Saliba, Virgil van Dijk, and Micky van de Ven.”

Football headlines

Q: There have been a lot of whispers about Kylian Mbappe and France. Are there issues between him and Deschamps? What is going on with Kylian at the moment?  Is Mbappe being punished or is he being protected by Deschamps? 

Bacary Sagna: “I’m not sure if Mbappe is being punished or protected. I know the coach. I’m not sure the relationship between Mbappe and Deschamps has broken down. 

Kylian might not be at his best mentally because of everything that is happening to him, he’s faced a lot of criticism because of what happened previously with PSG.

Deschamps is being supportive. Maybe he thinks that bringing him into this environment where a lot of French people are against him isn’t going to be good for him. People have to remember that Mbappe is more than a football player. He’s a symbol of France, so he has an awful lot of pressure on him. 

There were a lot of negative words said about Mbappe because of the way that he left PSG. He didn’t renew his contract, and now he is has a legal case with PSG over wages. When Mbappe refused to sign a new contract, they took him out of the team. There has been trouble with Mbappe for the last year, but I think we’re only starting to see the effect of it now.

I think he has been treated unfairly. PSG shouldn’t have taken him out of the team because he didn’t want to stay. This is a legendary player at PSG, a player who played for the club for seven years and did really well for them. He’s being treated like a villain, and I don’t think he deserves it.” 

Q: Mbappe is adjusting to life in Madrid

Bacary Sagna: “The press in France are way too harsh. They need to give him time to settle in Madrid. It’s going to take time for him to be at his best because it’s a new team with a new philosophy. He has new players around him, bigger and better players, and it can take time to adapt. 

Mbappe has gone into a new environment, a team that has just won the Champions League, and he needs his own space. He’s surrounded by big players that have already won a lot, he’s a superstar in a team full of them, whereas at PSG, he was the main man. He’s not the leader of this Madrid team like he was in Paris. 

Since he was 15 years old, Mabppe has been the best player in every team that he played in. Now he’s surrounded with big profiles and big egos. That can be hard to deal with – it’s all new for Kylian. 

Mbappe is an amazing player. He needs time to adapt and to reshape his life. I think the coach understood that bringing him into a negative environment at this period of time was not the best idea. 

He probably gave him more time to focus on Madrid. The decision to leave him out would have been agreed between Deschamps and Mbappe.” 

Q: He hasn’t been himself for almost a year. He got the move that he wanted to Real, but it hasn’t been smooth sailing. It appears his introduction has disrupted the team a little – is it just a bad moment for him or something more serious? 

Bacary Sagna: “I have no doubts that the move to Real Madrid will be successful. Everyone expected him to come in and break the records from the off. If you remember when Cristiano Ronaldo came to Madrid, he didn’t start well. 

When Benzema went to Real Madrid, everyone thought they made a big mistake signing him. When Beckham joined Madrid, people started saying he was a flop. Kylian is not alone in having a difficult start at Real. It happens to players. Players like Ronaldo, Benzema and Beckham, they became legends at the club, and Mbappe will follow in their footsteps. Even Zidane was criticised! 

It will take time, but Mbappe will be a massive success at Real Madrid. People have such high expectations of him, which is why he is criticised more than any other player.” 

Transfer rumours

Q: Liverpool have been linked with a move for Lyon’s Rayan Cherki. They’ve obviously got some financial problems, would Cherki be a good addition for Liverpool and does he have qualities that would suit the Premier League?

Bacary Sagna: “Rayan Cherki is a good player, but when you come to a bigger team, players can find it difficult. 

Cherki is playing in his hometown for his home club. He’s a big player at Lyon, but he would be one of several if he joined Liverpool. 

It would be a big step up for him to join Liverpool. He would have to adapt to a lot of changes. 

He’s a player that has been performing well in France. I think it would take him time to adapt to the Premier League, but he’s young and he has great potential.” 

Q: Victor Osimhen is a player that has a lot of admirers in the Premier League. We’ve seen him linked with Chelsea and Arsenal, we know that he could be taken from Napoli via Galatasaray in January. Do you think it’s only a matter of time before we see him in the Premier League, but is it more likely that it’s in the summer? 

Bacary Sagna: “I don’t think Victor Osimhen is going to be available to join Arsenal in January, but in the summer, there should be an opportunity for him to come to the Premier League. 

He is a player that Arsenal could definitely do with. I think that he would be a brilliant option for Arsenal because he is a different profile to the type of strikers that they have in the Arsenal team. 

That is the only thing that Arsenal are missing. I think they need more options up front so they can add more variety to the way that they play. It is a little bit like when Arsenal had Olivier Giroud, I think Arsenal are missing a player like him who can hold the ball up and provide a focal point.” 

Bacary’s connections

Q: When you were at Arsenal, some big players left. Cesc and Nasri in 2011, Robin van Persie in 2012. What was that like at the time for the players and which sale was the most upsetting? 

Bacary Sagna: “I was disappointed when players like Fabregas and Nasri left because I believed we had a strong team that could compete for the league. Players like Fabregas, Nasri and van Persie were not only great players, but they were also friends. 

Sometimes when you see your teammates leaving it’s difficult because you weren’t expecting them to go. It was not easy to see them leaving, but, as a player, we have to accept it and move on. It’s not the easiest thing to do, especially when you lose players of that quality, it’s hard to rebuild and start again.”

Q: Your old teammate Santi Carzorla has been tipped for a move to Arsenal in the future, possibly in a Sporting Directors role. Do you think that Santi will return to the club, and could you see Mikel wanting to bring him back? 

Bacary Sagna: “Santi Carzorla and Mikel Arteta have an amazing relationship. I believe Santi could be on his way back to Arsenal one day. 

He wouldn’t be brough back just because he is Mikel’s friend. Santi would add a lot of value to Arsenal in any capacity. 

Hopefully they can discuss it. Santi obviously has a great connection to Arsenal and the fans love him at the club. I always rated him as probably one of the best players I’ve played with because of his quality with the ball and because of his football brain. 

I actually think that Santi would be better suited to a more hands-on role on the grass rather than as a Sporting Director. He would be a major boost to the players, especially the youngsters. He brings an amazing energy to the field, and he has so much passion for football.” 

Arsenal

Q: It’s been a tricky period for Arsenal. The international break probably came at the right time – can they recover from this and make up the points on their title rivals over the coming months? 

Bacary Sagna: “It’s all or nothing for Arsenal because the Christmas period is very important. There is a nine-point gap with Liverpool that they will be desperate to reduce, so it’s going to be difficult for them to overhaul them. They need to close the gap now. If they fail to do that, or if they drop further behind, I think the title will be out of reach for them. 

They can’t afford to fall further behind. They need to keep in touch and hope that Liverpool and Man City drop points.” 

Q: Has Mikel Arteta sacrificed goals for a tighter defensive structure?

Bacary Sagna: “No, I don’t think Mikel Arteta has sacrificed goals for a more solid team. Arsenal’s bigger concern has been a disciplinary one, that is the reason why they have dropped points, not because of the football they’re playing. 

The red cards have been costly. They have had a big impact on performances because it’s never easy when you have to play 10 against 11 in the Premier League. I think they would have won against Brighton and Bournemouth if they had kept all of their players on the pitch.

Had they of won those games, had they of beaten City rather than draw with ten men, then they would be top of the league right now.” 

Q: We’ve seen City struggle a little, for Arsenal and this group of players, they obviously got close, with Liverpool looking so good, are they feeling the pressure and is that showing in its performances? 

Bacary Sagna: “Arsenal are definitely feeling the pressure of competing for the Premier League title. They know they can’t afford to make any more mistakes. They know they have to win all of their games that are coming up, and they are hoping that their rivals can drop points. 

Can they close a nine-point gap? Of course they can, but to be relying on your rivals to drop points in November isn’t an ideal place for Arsenal to be in.” 

Q: Did Martin Odegaard’s absence highlight Arsenal’s need for greater creative resources in the squad? 

Bacary Sagna: “You always miss great players. There are great players and then there are special players. I think Arsenal have enough quality in their squad to deal with Odegaard’s absence, but any club would miss a player of his talent. He is the captain and one of Arsenal’s most important players. 

He is the player that leads from the front and makes them tick. Of course, you’re always going to miss him when he’s not there. I also think Saka’s absence at the same time didn’t help.” 

Q: Raheem Sterling hasn’t really featured for Arsenal yet. Why do you think that is and what kind of role do you expect him to play for the rest of the season? 

Bacary Sagna: “I would love to see Raheem Sterling playing more regularly for Arsenal. It’s difficult because, first of all, he’s my friend, but I would love to see him playing more and shining, because he’s a good player. 

I think he can bring something different to the club. It’s difficult because, the emotional side of not playing can have an impact on a players confidence. We know that Raheem Sterling is a brilliant player when he’s at his best. I would love to see him playing, destroying players one-on-one, scoring goals and making assists.

Of course, it’s Mikel Arteta’s decision to play him. He’s a big player with a big profile, and he’s probably frustrated because he wants to play more and was looking forward to playing. I’m sure that he will be given a lot of minutes from now until the New Year because there are a lot of games coming up.” 

Q: Paul Pogba has been in the headlines. We know he will be back soon – you mentioned you would like to see him at Arsenal. Obviously, you know Arteta really well, do you think he would be interested in giving him a chance? 

Bacary Sagna: “I’ve always said that Paul Pogba would be a good addition for Arsenal. I believe he could be an asset to the club. 

With his creativity, having him on a short-term contract would benefit everyone. It would help Paul get back into football and get him back to full fitness and quality.” 

Q: If you could sign one player for Arsenal, who would it be and why? 

Bacary Sagna: “I would love Arsenal to sign Viktor Gyökeres, the Swedish striker who plays for Sporting Lisbon. He’s amazing, honestly. I didn’t know much about his personality, but after watching him play. Wow! I think he’s amazing.”

Manchester City

Q: Rumours are circulating that Pep Guardiola is about to sign a new contract extension with Manchester City. It’s rumoured to be a one-year deal that would take him to ten at the club. What do you think will happen with Pep and City’s story. Is there one more chapter left? 

Bacary Sagna: “Whatever happens with Pep, whether he signs a new contract or not, there is always going to be one more chapter to his Man City story. 

He can still achieve something amazing this season. Let’s not underestimate Man City because they haven’t won a match for four games. They are only five points behind Liverpool. The momentum isn’t with them at the moment, but I think the international break came at a good time for them. All of their key players would have gone away with their international teams and gone into environments with a different vibe, so hopefully they will bring that back with them to Manchester. 

Their big players should come back with renewed confidence. They will know that this is really where the season starts for them, and they will be doing everything to reduce the gap on Liverpool. 

If Liverpool lose just one game, City will be breathing down their necks. We are used to City winning, but still, even without performing for months, they’re still second and within touching distance of the summit. Some of the football this season hasn’t been their best, and I think that has shocked a few people. 

Pep Guardiola knows the club and the players perfectly. He finds the right words to motivate the players again and again and again. When you keep winning and winning, you get a vibe. Players love of winning, that feeling is special, and you only know how special it is when you lose. Losing can have a positive effect and maybe provide the players with a wake-up call.” 

Q: Given his achievements, the trophies, when Pep does depart, do you think he will surpass Sir Alex as the most legendary manager that the Premier League has ever seen? 

Bacary Sagna: “Pep’s achieved a lot, but I don’t want to compare him to Sir Alex Ferguson, because Ferguson is the best coach the Premier League has ever had. 

Wenger, for the achievement of coming to the league and changing football in England. That for me, is special.

Guardiola is writing his name in history of course. What he has achieved with Man City is magnificent.” 

Q: City haven’t been as scary as previous seasons. Why do you think that is?

Bacary Sagna: “What City have achieved is special. No one has done it. It’s special and unique winning a treble; winning four Premier League titles in a row. Winning the Champions League. Winning the Club World Cup. They’ve won absolutely everything. 

With the frequency of the games you play, sometimes you can switch off. The City players are only human so perhaps they got away with tracking back less and playing at 98% in certain games and winning. They haven’t been able to do that this season. They’ve been punished when they haven’t been playing at their best. They’ve been caught on the counter-attack and it has looked easier than it has done previously to score against them. 

The Premier League is getting stronger and stronger every single year. You need to be at your best to win every game because the quality of the opposition is so high.” 

Wider Premier League

Q: Ruben Amorim has been appointed Manchester United’s new boss. He’s known for playing a 433 but he said that the first thing he wants to work on is character and work ethic. Do you think he’s the right man to get a tune out of this group of players? 

Bacary Sagna: “It’s time for Manchester United’s players to refocus again. Ruben Amorim has been doing great in Portugal, and I think he is a great coach. Not only is he a great technical coach but, you can see how much emphasis he places on little details: hugging players, smiling, bringing a positive energy with a smile on his face. He’s a very approachable coach. 

You can drive high standards without being in conflict with your players. You don’t have to manage like an authoritarian who puts a barrier between themselves and the players.

The players should naturally respect the coach, especially if he treats them as his equals. I think sometimes managers can fail when they put themselves on a higher level than their players. 

There will be a natural respect between Amorim, his coaches and his players. Players are smart enough to understand their limits and how far they can push a manager. They know the boundaries, and when players cross those boundaries there can be problems.

For Amorim and the United squad, they need to create the right vibe to become successful.” 

Q: One guy we haven’t really seen yet is Leny Yoro. What can you tell United fans about him and is he a star of the future? 

Bacary Sagna: “Leny Yoro is an amazing player. He’s been doing well with Lille. He’s a great player, but he’s been injured, so it will take him a little bit of time to find his best level. 

He’s a top player. He’s physical, he’s tall, and he’s still very young. He will improve and he will learn from English football, but English football is very different from what he’s used to.

He has the quality to adapt to the Premier League. Hopefully, with United in a better shape, with better performances, it will make his introduction into the team easier. He’ll be playing in a much more settled environment, and that will help him a lot. 

I think if he had been playing during the last few months, where the vibes weren’t good, it wouldn’t have been the best environment for him to cut his teeth. He would have been under so much pressure. 

He’ll be excited to show his new manager what he can offer. It’s a new start for him and every other player at Manchester United.” 

Q: Should Man Utd bring Paul Pogba back a third time?

Bacary Sagna: “It’s a different situation today at Manchester United to when Paul was previously there. 

United have a young coach, a coach that has been a player, a coach that understands the situation. He will probably be willing to have a player like Paul at his training sessions.

Amorim was a player himself, so I’m sure the coach will be open to seeing him getting back home because he loves United. I have talked many times with Paul. He loves United. The only problem was the situation when he came back. That was a spell where things didn’t go as well as they should have done, but Paul wasn’t the only player that struggled at United during the time he was there.” 

Q: Marcus Rashford, it seems whatever he does, he’s going to upset some United fans. They didn’t like the fact he was in NYC watching Basketball last week. He’ll be a player that Amorim will be desperate to get more out of – do you expect him to be able to do that? 

Bacary Sagna: “There is the mental side of the game. You can be as good as anyone, but if mentally you’re not happy or you don’t get on well with the coach, it’s not going to work.

The mental side of the game makes you perform and can also sometimes stop you from performing. It has nothing to do with your quality, because we all know Rashford has the quality, so it must be a mental issue.

I think everyone that knows football, that loves football, wants to see Marcus Rashford get back to his best because he’s such a good player to watch. 

If Amorim can get Marcus into a happy state of mind, then he will reap the rewards of that on the pitch.” 

Q: I know you were a huge fan of Mykhailo Mudryk. It hasn’t happened for him at Chelsea. Do you think if he had signed for Arsenal, we would be seeing a different Mudryk in the Premier League now? 

Bacary Sagna: “Mudryk didn’t join Chelsea during the best period of the club’s football life. He came when the team was struggling and, obviously, the price tag for him was going to go against him, because whenever people buy you for £100 million, you have expectations.

It’s hard to say if Mudryk would have developed into a better player if he joined Arsenal. We will never know the answer to that question.” 

Q: Which club do you wish you’d played for and which did you come close to signing for?

Bacary Sagna: “The one club that I really like, and I didn’t make the move, was Inter Milan. I love Inter Milan. I don’t know why. I can’t explain it. They’re just one of these teams that I like watching. I like the vibe, I like to see the players playing together, guys like Adriano and Walter Samuel and other big players I used to watch.

I always liked Inter, so when I had the chance to join them, I don’t regret not doing it because I don’t have any regrets in my career, but they are a club that I’ve always admired. 

Whenever I watch Serie A, I love to watch Inter. I love the philosophy of the club, the players, and the way they play. It’s an institution and they have a work ethic. They have one rule: no one is bigger than the club. 

I like what Inter Milan represents. They contacted me before I left Arsenal. I was maybe on the verge of signing for them or Liverpool. Obviously, I was happy to join Manchester City instead. I went to City, and I found a family. 

It was a bit difficult at first. Leaving London to Manchester, I needed some time to adapt.”