Arsenal had some incredibly quick and technically gifted attackers during Arsene Wenger’s time at the club.
That often made training sessions at London Colney extremely competitive, especially for the defenders trying to stop them.
Even some of Arsenal’s best defenders struggled to cope in one-v-one situations at times.
Nacho Monreal has now admitted that there was one teammate he occasionally had to foul in training because he simply could not deal with his pace – Theo Walcott.
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Nacho Monreal shares why he used to kick Theo Walcott at times in Arsenal training
Walcott spent more than a decade at Arsenal and became one of the fastest attackers in Premier League football during his prime years.
At full speed, very few defenders could stay with him once he burst into space.
That caused huge problems for opposition players on matchdays, but Arsenal’s own defenders also found him difficult to handle in training.
Monreal regularly faced Walcott after arriving from Malaga in 2013.
The Spaniard was an intelligent and experienced defender, but even he admitted that Walcott’s speed was a nightmare to deal with.
During a conversation involving both former Arsenal players, presenter Alex Aljoe brought up claims that Monreal used to kick Walcott during training sessions.
The left-back initially denied it before eventually admitting there was some truth behind the accusation.
Aljoe asked on Prime Video Sport UK: “Nacho, Theo tells me that you used to kick him a lot in training. Is that true?”
Monreal replied: “No, no, no, that’s not true.”
Walcott then interrupted with: “Sometimes.”
Monreal laughed before admitting: “Maybe sometimes.”
The Spaniard then explained: “Yes, exactly, because he was so quick, so fast. He was a winger, I was a left-back, so in training.”
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Nacho Monreal is one of the most underrated Arsenal signings in the Emirates Stadium era
Monreal arrived at Arsenal from Malaga without much fanfare and initially struggled to convince supporters.
Some of his early performances attracted criticism as he adapted to the speed and physicality of English football.
However, over time, he completely transformed perceptions around him.
Nicknamed ‘La Cabra’, Monreal became one of the most dependable and consistent players under Arsene Wenger in that era.
Whether playing at left-back or filling in at centre-back, the Spaniard always gave everything and carried himself brilliantly on and off the pitch.
That reliability and professionalism are exactly why Monreal remains such a loved figure among Arsenal supporters even today.
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