Bukayo Saka played in the lead when Arsenal Real Madrid defeated 5-1 in their Champions League quart final collision, where the winger with Gunners legend Thierry Henry spoke for the game
Bukayo Saka has revealed that he spoke with Arsenal -legend Thierry Henry before the Gunners Real Madrid beat out of the Champions League. Arsenal defeated the ruling champions 5-1 after a 3-0 win at the Emirates and a famous 2-1 victory in the Bernabeu.
And Saka played in the second leg in the victory and bounced back from a disappointing penalty miss to set Arsenal with a brilliant broken finish in the night. Speaking with CBS Sports after the game, Saka revealed that Henry had played a role in the victory.
When asked by Micah Richards if he was planning to be Henry later that evening for a debrief about the game, Saka replied: “I already spoke to him this morning, but if he wants to speak again later, I go on.
“I'm not going to sleep tonight, let's really be.” Saka and Henry have developed a close relationship over the years, with the Frenchman becoming a mentor for him.
“The most important thing I learned from him is trust,” Saka told Henry CBS Sports last year. “When you see how he plays, the fear he finds in defenders is enough. I tried to take that from him.
“I tried to play with more confidence that believes that you are almost unplayable. The first interaction we had was when I was in the academy. He came from 14-15 and did his coaching pools.
“Of course we all knew about him and although he had retired, he still had the same quality. We were done with him, he was better than all of us! Since then he has contacted me and he is always there for me.
“Whatever I have to say to him, whatever he wants to say to me, I am open. He is always open in difficult moments. He says:” I am always free if you want to talk to me. “There are times when I can call him and get good advice.
“He has done what I want to achieve and win titles with Arsenal. I am really grateful that I have that relationship with him. He is a top man. He is just so focused on football. It looks like me. We are not trying to think about the other things.
“When we grew up, I aimed to become a football player. I aimed to become a great player at Arsenal.
Gunners -Baas Mikel Arteta meanwhile spoke with Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola before the game started his coaching career by collaborating with the Spaniard at Etihad.
“I called him this morning,” Arteta revealed. “Because when I am here, it is greatly due to him. He has been a great inspiration for me. I have lived with him for four great years and I will always be grateful. Without him I would not be here.”