Robert Pires has given fascinating insight into his doomed final days at Arsenal, when a turbulent period following what should have been the pinnacle of his career saw the exit door loom large.
Pires was a regular fixture in the all-conquering Arsenal team under Arsene Wenger in the early 2000s, and was naturally handed a starting position in the 2006 Champions League final against the formidable Barcelona.
As many football fans know, the match became infamous for the highly controversial 18th minute sending-off of goalkeeper Jens Lehmann, which drastically altered the complexion of the match and forced Wenger into making a premature substitution.