Football news - Alexander Hleb: 'I made mistake leaving Arsenal for Barca'

Alexander Hleb has opened up on his move from Arsenal to Barcelona in 2008 - and conceded it was a huge error to leave Arsene Wenger's side.

The BATE Borisov midfielder - back in London for his side's 3-1 Europa League defeat to Chelsea on Thursday night - admits he wishes he could have turned back the clock to remain at the Emirates.

"Looking back now, it was a mistake signing for Barcelona," said Hleb, now 37.

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Hleb joined Barca for £12m a decade ago, but the Belarus playmaker turned out only 19 times for Pep Guardiola's side.

He was helped by his former Arsenal team-mate Thierry Henry in Spain, but admits he was not favoured by Guardiola.

hleb guardiola

Image credit: TNT Sports

Hleb was loaned out to Stuttgart, Birmingham and Wolfsburg before joining Krylia Sovetov Samara in Russia in 2012.

"He (Henry) offered me a spare room in his house," said Hleb in an interview with the Daily Telegraph.

"Thierry comes to me and says, ‘You’ve lived in a hotel for a long time, come and live with me’.

"If we had a day off friends would come round, and it was easier for me to adapt. I lived there for a few months.

"Later, I realised that it was my fault."

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