Emmanuel Petit has opened up about his regret over leaving Arsenal to join Barcelona, describing the decision as one of the biggest mistakes of his football career.
Petit arrived at Arsenal in 1997, reuniting with Arsène Wenger, who had previously coached him at Monaco. He quickly became a fan favorite at Highbury, playing a key role in the club’s Premier League and FA Cup double in his first season.
After three successful years with the Gunners, Petit, along with teammate Marc Overmars, transferred to Barcelona for £7 million, shortly after winning Euro 2000 with France and his 1998 World Cup victory. However, his time at Barcelona didn’t live up to expectations, as he struggled with injuries and failed to secure a regular place in the starting lineup, ultimately spending just one season at the club.
Reflecting on his own experience years later, Petit expressed his regret over the move, particularly when discussing Philippe Coutinho’s disappointing stint at Barcelona. “If I were Philippe Coutinho, every morning I would wake up and ask myself, ‘Why did I go to Barcelona?’” Petit shared in an interview with Mirror Football. He added, “I remember waking up at Barcelona after leaving Arsenal, thinking, ‘Why did I leave? Why did I leave?’ I’m sure Coutinho has been asking himself the same thing for a while now.”
After his brief time at Barcelona, Petit moved to Chelsea, where he finished his professional career. Initially, his transition to the West London club appeared successful, but a series of knee injuries saw him sidelined under manager Claudio Ranieri, leading to his release in 2004.
Petit expressed frustration with how his Chelsea career ended, revealing his dissatisfaction with the way he was treated in the dressing room and by the club’s medical staff. In an interview with SFR Sport’s The Locker Room, he explained, “I really didn’t like how things ended, with the medical staff and the president [Roman Abramovich] at Chelsea.
I was disgusted. That’s why I left and didn’t communicate with them afterward. My performances were affected because my knee was in bad shape, but I kept it hidden. I still had the desire to play.”
