Matteo Guendouzi remains a controversial figure at Arsenal, remembered for his moments of brilliance and passion, as well as his inappropriate behaviour and insubordination, due to his relatively short tenure.
There were some outstanding performances against Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa, but also his clash with Neal Maupay or the fact that he went on holiday rather than attend Arsenal’s FA Cup final against Chelsea.
Guendouzi also gave up on Arsenal so quickly, as the central midfielder was seeking a transfer after only 12 games under Mikel Arteta.
In an interview with The Athletic this week, Guendouzi reflected on that period and admitted that he made mistakes under the Arsenal boss.
“I didn’t work much with Arteta, I only had six months,” Guendouzi said. “I was 19 years old, so I was learning every day. I wouldn’t make the same mistakes I made when I was 19.
“But in football you learn every day and mistakes are part of football. Mistakes are part of life. Mistakes make you a better person and a better footballer.”
The French midfielder wished his former club all the best.
“It was a very good club for me because I played a lot,” Guendouzi stressed.
“Arteta is doing a very good job at Arsenal, they are fighting for the title, they are a very good team and he is doing amazing things. I hope they win the trophy because Arsenal is a big club. I wish them all the best.”
But when it comes to regrets, Guendouzi insists he has none from his time in north London.
“I have no regrets about what I did at Arsenal,” he said. “I was 19 and I played 85 games in two years. Eighty-five games for a big club like Arsenal is a lot.
“I tried to give my best for the club … I’m very happy with what I did there.”
Guendouzi now plays for Lazio, where he is on loan from Marseille.
On Tuesday night, he faces one of the biggest games of his career as Lazio will try to hold on to a 1-0 lead in the second leg of their Champions League clash against Bayern Munich.