Arsenal midfielder Mathieu Flamini has revealed that he believes he is a better footballer now than what he was during his first spell in England.
The Frenchman left The Gunners in order to join Italian side AC Milan back in 2008, but after his contract expired at the San Siro this summer, he started training with Arsenal in order to keep up fitness levels.
However during the training sessions, Arsene Wenger was impressed with Flamini and decided him to offer a three-year-contract and the 29-year-old believes he is an even better footballer now than what he was back in the day.
“My fitness levels are still very good,” Flamini told Arsenal Player. “After what [fitness coach] Tony Colbert told me after some speed tests, I am quicker than I was five years ago.
“It was funny because we made a joke that it was like wine, getting better with age. I still feel very fresh.
“I would say I evolved [in Italy],” he went on. “I’m 29 now, I played a lot of games in Italy and I had the chance to discover a new championship like the Italian league, based on a lot of tactical aspects because there is not a lot of space so I think it made my game evolve.
“I think I’m much better tactically because being in Italy for five years you learn a lot of tactical things in training, what you know is your position on the pitch. Afterwards with your age you read the game better so for your position this is important.
“Serie A is much more tactical than the English league. The English league is much quicker and physical and the intensity is very high from the beginning to the end. In Italy there is less space and that’s why you don’t have as many goals as you do in England.”
Written by Alex Batt – @AlexBatt
