No Vieira emotion over Highbury return
Patrick Vieira insists he feels no emotion about his return to Highbury.
Vieira, who won six major trophies in nine years at Arsenal, bid a tearful farewell to the club last summer.
He returns in the colours of Juventus tomorrow but the Frenchman will not let sentimentality shatter his Champions League dream.
Vieira, 29, said: “I am not nervous at all. I know what to expect. I have enough experience to deal with that.
“I am not emotional at all. The only emotion will come after the game.
“I know how to prepare myself. My only focus is to win the game and do my best for the team.
“Playing against Arsenal is the same as any other team. What’s important is to try and qualify for the semi-final.”
A burning ambition to win the Champions League was one of the reasons given by Vieira when he opted to join Juve for £13.7million last summer.
There was a strong suspicion that Arsenal had forced him out when the offer landed, believing the French midfielder was past his best.
But Gunners boss Arsene Wenger insisted yesterday that it was Vieira’s decision to leave, enticed by the security of a five-year contract and the lure of new challenges.
Vieira said: “I never regret any decision I make.
“As soon as I signed for Juventus my focus changed. The Arsenal page was over.
“I started to look forward to the season with Juventus and focus on what I could achieve as a player.
“Every team in the quarter-finals are good teams but we are strong enough to reach the final.
“Our confidence is high. I believe we are strong enough to win this game but we know it’s not going to be easy.”
Vieira has stayed in contact with friends at Highbury, especially the French connection and his close friend Thierry Henry.
The Juventus star said: “I talk with Thierry about everything, about life in general.
“We talk about Juventus. We talk about Arsenal. We talk about life in Turin. We talk about life in London. We have normal conversations.”
Vieira made a massive impact in nine years at Highbury.
He signed for £3.5m (€5.1m) from AC Milan and went on to earn cult status among the fans as he won three league titles and three FA Cups with the Gunners.
Vieira said: “When you spend nine years anywhere and you win so much and do so well, the last nine years have been the best in Arsenal’s history and I was part of that, it makes you very proud.”
Juventus fans were impressed when he arrived and produced some typically muscular midfield displays.
The Turin club are well on course for their 29th Italian title but Vieira’s own form has dipped.
He was criticised by the Italian football press after Saturday’s 1-1 draw against Roma.
Vieira said: “My own form has been up and down but the team performance is what matters to me and we played a good game against Roma.
“I don’t know if I’m still the same player but, when you play among so many good players, you can only become a better player.”
Juve boss Fabio Capello will not ask Vieira to provide inside knowledge on the Arsenal team.
Capello said: “I know Arsenal because I have played against them before. They are a good team with good players but he can always help me.”
The Italian champions are without Pavel Nedved, who is suspended, and Alessandro del Piero, who has a thigh injury.
