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Former Arsenal right-back Bacary Sagna has heaped praise on Gunners midfielder Granit Xhaka amid a strong start to the ongoing 2022-23 season.
The Switzerland international has made a huge turn-around after a turbulent period at the Emirates. He has registered seven appearances for the north London outfit in the Premier League so far, recording a goal and three assists.
In an interview with Lord Ping, Sagna was asked about the Arsenal midfielder's blistering start to the campaign. The Frenchman said:
"He is a key player for Arsenal. He has been at the club for a number of years now. He has faced a lot of criticism during the time that he has been there, which wouldn’t have been easy for him and his family."
"We know that he picks up a lot of cards but I think some of those have been harsh and based on his reputation. He is a fighter and I like the way he plays. He has personality and is always looking to take the ball."
Sagna continued in praise of Xhaka:
"He is a natural leader. I like his attitude. He gets angry when he loses a match - Arsenal need players like him. You can see his frustration when he loses a game and he isn’t afraid to speak his mind. He’s been criticized for being himself or for when he has criticized his teammates."
"But sometimes you need to hear these things as players, and he is respected by everyone in the dressing room because of how he acts. I’m sure the players took the criticism from him. He is also the first one to criticize his own game."
Bacary Sagna on Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka's importance to the team
The Frenchman insisted that he would rather play with an honest professional like Xhaka than a deceitful one. He said:
"We live in a world where players are very worried about what they say publicly. Players will say one thing to the press and behave very differently in the dressing room, he doesn’t do this. He is real. He is authentic. I would rather have him as a teammate, speaking his mind, than someone who says one thing and then does another."
Citing the Arsenal star's strengths and weaknesses, Sagna concluded:
"He hasn’t been perfect. Sometimes he gets caught out of position or gives the ball away, but you know that if you are in a war, he is ready to fight for you. He is ready to give 100% all of the time. He is a complete midfield player. He has excellent passing and has created some nice assists this season. He can score goals - I like him."
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