Tweet
Jens Lehmann claims he could have prevented Arsenal from going out of the Champions League, if only he had been given a chance.
The 38-year-old goalkeeper spoke of his anger at being consigned to the bench and attacked both manager Arsene Wenger and the man who is keeping him out of the side, Manuel Almunia, in an interview with Germany's Kicker magazine.
'I stayed here to win the Champions League and I saw good chances to play, but I have not had these (chances) and that makes me very angry,' he said.
The Germany number one was left to seething as he saw his European dream ended for another year following the Gunners' 4-2 defeat at Liverpool in Tuesday's quarter-final second leg.
'For me personally, it is a tragedy, particularly since I did not have a chance to prevent it,' he said.
'I have had such thoughts (about being able to prevent defeats) ever since the coach took me out of the team following the 0-0 against Milan.'
Lehmann turned down the chance to move to Borussia Dortmund during the winter break and pledged he would fight to regain his place in the Arsenal team.
In doing so, he may have compromised his chances of remaining first choice for Germany at Euro 2008, and Lehmann cannot believe the gamble has not paid off, with Almunia still standing ahead of him in the Arsenal goal.
'To be sitting on the bench behind somebody who only started to play when he was 30 is not funny,' he added.
'I am very angry.'
Furthermore, Lehmann feels he has been treated badly by Wenger, claiming he has not been given a fair chance.
He said: 'If the coach had spoken to me before the start of the season then I would have been able to decide if I wanted to sit on the bench.
'He has a different opinion and I don't really believe he can be happy with it.'
But Lehmann does not feel he will be able to prove Wenger wrong by shining at Euro 2008 with Germany, claiming his manager would probably not even notice he is there.
'If he has not seen it yet then he won't see it at the European Championships either if I perform well,' said a bitter Lehmann.
The 38-year-old goalkeeper spoke of his anger at being consigned to the bench and attacked both manager Arsene Wenger and the man who is keeping him out of the side, Manuel Almunia, in an interview with Germany's Kicker magazine. 'I stayed here to win the Champions League and I saw good chances to play, but I have not had these (chances) and that makes me very angry,' he said.
The Germany number one was left to seething as he saw his European dream ended for another year following the Gunners' 4-2 defeat at Liverpool in Tuesday's quarter-final second leg.
'For me personally, it is a tragedy, particularly since I did not have a chance to prevent it,' he said.
'I have had such thoughts (about being able to prevent defeats) ever since the coach took me out of the team following the 0-0 against Milan.'
Lehmann turned down the chance to move to Borussia Dortmund during the winter break and pledged he would fight to regain his place in the Arsenal team.
In doing so, he may have compromised his chances of remaining first choice for Germany at Euro 2008, and Lehmann cannot believe the gamble has not paid off, with Almunia still standing ahead of him in the Arsenal goal.
'To be sitting on the bench behind somebody who only started to play when he was 30 is not funny,' he added.
'I am very angry.'
Furthermore, Lehmann feels he has been treated badly by Wenger, claiming he has not been given a fair chance.
He said: 'If the coach had spoken to me before the start of the season then I would have been able to decide if I wanted to sit on the bench.
'He has a different opinion and I don't really believe he can be happy with it.'
But Lehmann does not feel he will be able to prove Wenger wrong by shining at Euro 2008 with Germany, claiming his manager would probably not even notice he is there.
'If he has not seen it yet then he won't see it at the European Championships either if I perform well,' said a bitter Lehmann.
Comment