Latest news with #Sagna
Daily Mirror
17-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Ex-Arsenal star shares warning over Liverpool's Diogo Jota grief - 'My brain was not here'
Bacary Sagna lost his brother when he was playing for Arsenal in 2008 and has told the Reds said: 'I advise them to speak up. This is something I didn't do and it had an impact on me, so I know how it feels.' Bacary Sagna knows from painful experience just how difficult it is to even attempt to play football after losing a loved one. The Frenchman tried and failed after his older brother, Omar, died a day before his 28th birthday in February 2008. So Sagna has massive sympathy for the Liverpool players who will attempt to focus their minds on sport after losing Diogo Jota, earlier this month. 'We are human beings first,' said the ex-Arsenal and Manchester City defender. 'We spend more time with our fellow players than we spend with our own wives and kids. So its going to be difficult. I don't see them performing as well as they did last season because first of all they were Champions - and to reproduce that level of performance back to back is difficult. 'But much more importantly, after losing someone dear at the club, a brother, I want to call him, I can't see it. 'So I have big, big support for his family, for his entourage, for his wife and kids and for Liverpool football club. It is not easy.' Portuguese forward Jota and his brother Andre were killed in a car accident in north west Spain on July 3. His grieving Liverpool team-mates are back in pre-season, preparing to fulfil their sporting obligations through their tears when the new Premier League season kicks off next month. Sagna wishes he prioritised therapy and emotional stability instead of continuing to play. 'I lost brother in 2008 when I was at Arsenal,' he said. 'It was my second season. 'My brain was not here. I started making mistakes. Schoolboy mistakes. To control the ball was difficult. My brain was in slow motion. 'So some of the players might come and be in the same mindset. They might not have their heads into football because they will constantly think about it. 'In the dressing room one space will be free. Lunchtime, one space will be free. On the bus, one space will be free. So, I clearly advise them to speak up. This is something I didn't do and it had an impact on me, so I know how it feels.' Liverpool's commitment to the mental health of their players and staff remains second to none. A city used to dealing with trauma has wrapped its arms around a club in mourning. With Jota counting Wolves among his former clubs, Sagna believes the emotion will be felt way beyond Anfield when the Premier League returns. 'I think it will have an impact on football in general,' he went on. 'On the Premier League, on players' approach to the game and on the way the players will get back into their training sessions. 'Because as a human being he was loved. Respected also.' Sagna believes counselling will be key as Liverpool's players and staff try to make sense of it all. 'One hundred percent,' he added. 'It might be a case of 'We're fine' but you need to process it. You need to open up about it. The mistake I made was to try to avoid talking about it. I was getting upset but it was a mistake - you have to let things out before you can even perform and let your football out. 'I was personally lucky because we had at the time a psychologist with the Arsenal team. When I lost my brother my dad called me unexpectedly. I remember we had a game, a Champions League second leg tie against AC Milan at home. 'I went back to France and I was just shocked. I was not even crying much. I felt like I was in the Matrix. I didn't know what was happening. I was shocked. My brain was paralysed. I couldn't think any more. I was going to go to the funeral but my dad advised me to come back because having that social pressure would have been difficult. So I didn't go to the funeral, my family went. I came back to Arsenal. "Arsene Wenger was very supportive, the club and the players too. But when I got back I got injured, against Chelsea. Nobody had tackled me. I think it was all related because the clearance I was making as I picked up the injury, I'd made it many times. But on that occasion I got injured. It was to do with my mental state. 'I had the feeling that I went from the best right back in the league to average. Then you had the judgement of people who didn't know. But how could they know? I didn't explain, I didn't speak out. But one day the club psychologist came to my room. He asked if he could come in and I let him. 'We sat on the bed and I'm like: 'Are you okay??' It was me asking the questions instead of the other way around! 'He said: 'The reason I'm coming to see you is that I can see you have an empty look.' I was like: 'What do you mean?' He said: 'I've been overseeing you for some time. You are here but you are not here.' I was like: 'But why would you say that?' 'I then learned a lot about myself. I was operating like a machine. I was leaving home, going to training sessions but I could not even tell you how I got there. He explained what a psychologist does and how I could identify myself as a human being, how I can remember the past and turn it into positives. 'So I believe the players at Liverpool can try and do the same. It is so important.' Sagna's breakthrough was all the more important because of the cultural barriers that had stopped him from discussing his private life outside his immediate circle. 'Its funny because I was against psychologists,' he went on. 'So when people suggested I go to one I was like: 'Listen guys, do you want me to go and face a stranger and tell him my story? He doesn't know me!' 'Why would I open up to a stranger that studied and learned from a book? 'That was my answer. But I can guarantee you will feel the love. Because they give you love, they understand you. Its an open book. We talk about life, we talk about many things and most importantly, I felt a relief. I felt lighter. 'I asked myself why I didn't go earlier! But I didn't have the courage. I didn't measure the importance of speaking up. But they meet so many people. They hear so many stories. Its really important.' Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
CNN
17-07-2025
- Sport
- CNN
Liverpool players should ‘open up' about Diogo Jota's death, urges former Premier League star
Former Arsenal and Manchester City star Bacary Sagna has urged Liverpool players to properly process the death of Diogo Jota by speaking to someone about their grief. Sagna, who spent a decade playing in the English Premier League, told CNN Sports that Liverpool players may struggle to focus on the upcoming season with their teammate missing from the squad. Reds striker Jota died in a car crash on July 3 at the age of 28. His brother, André Silva – who was also a professional soccer player – also died in the car accident aged 25. Many of those in the current Liverpool team, including captain Virgil van Dijk and left back Andy Robertson, traveled to Portugal to attend Jota's funeral earlier this month, before the squad returned for preseason training. 'They will constantly think about it,' Sagna said. 'Because in the dressing room, one space will be free. At lunch time, one space will be free. In the bus, one space will be free, so I clearly advise them to speak up.' He added: 'We are human beings first. We spend more time with the players than we spend with the whole family, so it's just crazy. It's hard to explain why and how it happened, but unfortunately, you have to move on, and you have to try to cope with it, but it's going to be difficult.' Sagna, who played 65 times for the France national team, knows more than most how a death of a loved one can impact the ability to focus on soccer. Early into his spell at Arsenal, Sagna's brother died in 2008. He said the news sent him into 'shock' and his brain felt 'paralyzed' by not knowing what to do, where to turn or who to talk to. Sagna went back to France for a week, but quickly decided to return to Arsenal after being advised by his father. It was the defender's second season with the club but he could no longer focus on his job, finding himself coasting through training sessions and matches. He said it would only be natural for Liverpool, the reigning Premier League champion, to experience some sort of drop off when the new league season starts on August 15. 'My brain was not there. It's my second season. I start doing mistakes, like schoolboy mistakes. To control the ball was difficult. My brain was in slow motion,' Sagna said, explaining how he struggled after the death of his brother. 'So some of the (Liverpool) players might come and be in the same mindset. They might not have their head into football because they will constantly think about it.' From his own experience, Sagna understands why speaking to a counselor about grief can be intimidating. He was initially against it, not allowing himself to be vulnerable in front of a stranger who had 'studied and learned from books.' But after being approached by Arsenal's then sports psychologist, the 42-year-old now advocates for people, notably men, to speak about how they're feeling. Sagna told CNN Sports that the counseling allowed him to redefine himself as a human being first, not just a soccer player. That shift in framing then allowed him to properly start processing his feelings. 'We talked about life, we talked about many things, and most importantly, I felt a relief,' he said. 'I felt light after this, and I was like, 'Why didn't I go and open up earlier?' I didn't have the courage. I didn't measure the importance of speaking up. 'I was thinking he cannot understand me, but they meet so many people, they hear so many stories. There is data, we were talking about the data. The words will be a release, so it's really important.' He added: 'I can remember the past and turn it into positive, so I believe the players at Liverpool should maybe try and do the same.'
Metro
30-04-2025
- Sport
- Metro
Mason Mount and £50m star told to leave Man Utd ahead of summer transfer arrival
Bacary Sagna has urged two Manchester United players to leave the club as Ruben Amorim closes in on a summer deal for Matheus Cunha. The Red Devils are leading the race to sign Brazilian playmaker Cunha afteropening talks with Wolves earlier in the month. Cunha was heavily linked with Arsenal and Chelsea in January but looks set for a move to Old Trafford after another impressive season at Molineux. Ex-Premier League defender Sagna has described Cunha as a 'top player' and says he would be an 'amazing signing' for Manchester United. 'Playing for Wolves and playing for Manchester United are both different types of pressure,' Sagna told Paddy Power. Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro's Football Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link so we can send you football news tailored to you. 'It's about how you're going to cope with that pressure, with your teammates and a different atmosphere. 'Matheus Cunha is a top player and is very creative. He is very fast on the ball when he plays for Brazil. 'It would be a good signing but I'm not sure if it is the right signing for Manchester United. 'Any player can have a good impact at Manchester United. It's not only about one player, it's about the whole team. 'It will still be an amazing signing but if it means that it's on him only to turn the old squad to a successful one – then I'm not sure.' Manchester United are believed to be open to selling a number of attacking plays to raise funds for Cunha and other Ruben Amorim transfer targets. Amorim is hoping to offload Marcus Rashford and Antony on permanent deals after sanctioning both their loan exits in January. Sagna believes Mount may also depart Old Trafford following a dismal spell at Manchester United and says it is the 'right time' for Alejandro Garnacho to leave. United spent £60m to sign Mount from Chelsea in 2023 after watching the England midfielder lift the Champions League at Stamford Bridge. But Mount, 26, has struggled with injuries since leaving his boyhood club and scored just one goal for Manchester United. Garnacho, meanwhile, has suffered a frustration drop-off having once been viewed as one of the most exciting players at the Theatre of Dreams. The Argentina international was linked with a move away from United in January and has reportedly been put up for sale once more ahead of the summer. 'Mason Mount didn't give the impact that they expected – so he might leave,' Sagna added. 'We didn't see much of him. 'I think it's the right time for Alejandro Garnacho to move on too. He started well but he is at a stage where he needs to be playing more consistently. More Trending 'It doesn't seem right for him to be at Manchester United. The defence is ageing – so maybe bring in more young and fresh players. 'You can't change the whole team, but they need to focus on the goalkeeper first of all. 'They need a keeper that doesn't play out with his feet. A keeper must dive and stop the balls. Nowadays people and coaches are too focused on someone that can play with their feet. 'Before you can play with your feet, you need to stop taking too many risks. Manchester United have been making too many mistakes and are conceding too many goals.' For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. MORE: Man Utd boosted as star duo return to training ahead of Athletic Bilbao clash MORE: Athletic Bilbao send Nico Williams transfer message to Arsenal ahead of Man Utd clash MORE: 'He would be an upgrade' – Ben Foster urges Chelsea to sign ex-Arsenal star
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Mohamed Salah faces brutal criticism from ex-Arsenal and Man City star
Mohamed Salah faces brutal criticism. It's not a sentence I should have ever had to write this season, and yet here we are. I've already had to deal with Troy Deeney claiming that Salah is somehow "not world-class", an assessment he seems to be basing on little more than "trust me, bro". And now, for the second time in a matter of days, a former player has decided to take a swipe at the Premier League's top scorer. And top assister. And top big chance creator, and top just about anything else you can think of — it is genuinely unfathomable that anyone should be using this international break to take shots at him. The criticism seems to be based on the last three games, where Salah has been some way short of his glittering best in crucial meetings with PSG and Newcastle. But while Arne Slot would have loved to see more from his talisman, those games constitute three of just 11 all season where the Egyptian has featured — in any capacity, in all competitions — and not scored or assisted. READ MORE: Premier League titles Man City could lose as Liverpool waits to hear charges verdict READ MORE: Exclusive: Liverpool holds genuine Jeremie Frimpong interest as Bayer Leverkusen summer exit expected Regardless, Bacary Sagna has become the latest to gleefully seize on the first vaguely plausible chance to put Salah down. The former Man City and Arsenal man has shared his brutal verdict on the Liverpool star. "Mo Salah is an amazing player, but people will question his ability to show up when it matters," Sagna told Paddy Power. "He's still a great player, but he can't do everything on his own. "I rate him as good as any other top striker and winger, but if you're not competitive when it matters, like Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr or Cristiano Ronaldo can do, people will question whether he can perform against the big clubs or best players. It's not surprising to see people questioning his ability to do it, because the data isn't kind to him." The data? Seriously? At least Deeney tried to justify himself by basing his verdict on an impossible-to-pin-down "feeling". If Sagna wants to talk about the data, then Salah can show him a whole host of records he has broken or is on the way to breaking. Salah has 44 league goal contributions this season. Of the players Sagna mentioned, Vinicius Jr has 17, Mbappe has 23, and Ronaldo (in the Saudi Pro League) has 22. But maybe Sagna is talking about the "big game" data specifically. Okay, let's have a look at that. Salah's three favorite opponents in terms of career goals scored are Manchester United, Tottenham and Manchester City. Arsenal also features in the top five — that's four of the so-called "big six". By comparison, Ronaldo's three favorite opponents are Sevilla, Atletico and Getafe. Yet apparently it is Salah who is not the big-game player. And in any case, Salah should not have to come out on top of a comparison with Ronaldo in order to be considered elite. The Portugal star is widely considered to be the second-best player of a generation. Salah should be getting celebrated right now, with this international break a chance to take stock of the enormity of what he has achieved up to this point in the season. And yet in another sign of an increasingly toxic environment, a couple of bad games have attracted the vultures — although when I see them, I will do my best to shoo them away.
