Over the years, Arsene Wenger has undoubtedly clashed with players over what he felt was best for Arsenal when managing the club.
A case of that in 2006 has since been highlighted by former player Robert Pires, who was far from happy with the former boss.
The campaign had culminated in the Gunners reaching the Champions League final, where they would take on Barcelona in a chance for glory.
Unfortunately for Wenger, that dream run to the final took a nightmare turn after just 17 minutes with goalkeeper Jens Lehmann receiving a red card.
Manuel Almunia was the shot-stopper to take his place but the unlikely recipient of being brought off was Pires.
It was something that led to the Frenchman fuming and ultimately played a part in his exit from Arsenal.
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Robert Pires reveals reason behind Arsenal exit
Pires joined Arsenal in 2000 from Marseille and made a name for himself in the attacking parts of the pitch for the side.
However, his exit came as part of a disagreement with Wenger as he was substituted just 17 minutes in the 2006 Champions League final.
Recounting the day that played a part in his exit, Pires told L’Equipe in 2021: “At no point did I think I’d be the one coming off. I didn’t even look at Arsene [Wenger].
“For me, he was going to take off [Alexander] Hleb or my friend [Cesc] Fabregas, because I could help in attack and I have that very good technical relationship with [Thierry] Henry. It’s not arrogance.
“So I’m there, calm, super confident and Titi [Henry] tells me I’m the one coming off.
“‘What?’, and I see the number seven on the board. It’s awful. Awful! I pass in front of the manager, we don’t look at each other. I go sit down, very annoyed. I wait for it to calm down, and then I tell myself ‘What I want is for us to win’.”
Just two days later Pires revealed to Wenger that he wished to leave and forced through a move to Villarreal that summer.
“Two days after when I told him I was leaving… basically, it triggered my exit,” he continued. “He wasn’t expecting it.
“I also needed to move on to something else. After the final, there was like a rupture… It was a horrible week: I learn that I’m not in the [France] squad for the World Cup, I played 17 minutes in the [Champions League] final and we lost it… I’ve known better!”
It was clearly an extremely difficult time for the now-retired star, who has since been coming to terms with those few days.
Robert Pires’ Arsenal career stats
It’s fair to say that Pires was among one of the very best to play for Arsenal during his six-year spell at the club.
He managed to win the Footballer of the Year award in England in 2002 alongside two Premier League titles and three FA Cups.
The Frenchman made close to 300 appearances, scoring 84 and assisting 63 in a period where the Gunners were at the top of English and European football.
| Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| 284 | 84 | 63 |
While it may not have ended in sweet fashion with a Champions League trophy, there are many who will still hold Pires in high regard.
His influence is still clear to see today alongside plenty of his other teammates who all went on to make history over the years.
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