Former Barcelona playmaker regrets leaving Arsenal: Arsene Wenger was like a father to me

Belarus legend Alexander Hleb was a quiet genius – and the most underrated player Cesc Fabregas has ever played alongside. Former Barcelona, Chelsea and Arsenal midfielder clearly rates Hleb highly as one of the best players he shared a dressing room in his career.

Hleb moved to Arsenal from Stuttgart in 2005 and played in north London for three years before Pep Guardiola signed him at Barcelona. Arsenal's struggles meant that Hleb left the Emirates without a trophy. That said, he was a regular in a young side that often showed flashes of class and made the 2006 Champions League final.

Hleb returned to play against Arsenal in 2019 in a BATE shirt (©Gallo Images)

Fabregas, who made 110 appearances for Spain, turned many Arsenal fans against him when he chose to join Chelsea following his three-year stay with Barcelona. But even the most bitter Gunners supporters couldn't disagree with Cesc's views on Alexander Hleb. The intelligent passer of the ball was a joy to watch. Hleb scored ten times in 130 appearances playing in a midfield that featured the likes of Fabregas and Gilberto Silva. The now 40-year-old admits he doesn't know why he left north London.

"It's still difficult for me to explain why I left Arsenal. I was absolutely happy there. Arsene completely trusted me. It was idyllic. And then I decided to leave. I was on vacation, and agents and managers convinced me that I had to go to Barcelona. To be honest, I didn't really understand what I was doing"

However, he retains an excellent relationship with Arsene Wenger, who continued to show faith in him throughout difficult times.

"Yes, we even met in Minsk a few months ago when Arsenal played against BATE in the Champions League. Wenger is like a father to me. It was really easy to work with him. You always felt his support.

Hleb was feeling insecure early into his time in London, but Wenger was the man to make him feel good and find his feet in England.

"During my first season in England, I picked up an injury while playing for the national team. So, as I was trying to recover from it, I told Arsene that maybe it would make sense to send me on loan to Germany or something. He was like, 'Stop it! I believe in you! Don't even think about things like that.' Honestly? I just flew out of the room. It felt like I had wings. Arsene truly feels his players. He says exactly what a player needs to hear."

Hleb and Wenger during the 2006 Champions League final (©Gallo Images)

Wenger is the man who deserves credit for turning a group of players into a successful team - and Hleb remains a fan to this day.

"I think there are very few guys who might say that they haven't enjoyed working with him. Everyone felt like they would get a chance. And I think most players who left ultimately regretted it."