Unai Emery has revealed Aaron Ramsey rejected medical advice to rest just days before suffering the hamstring injury which prematurely ended his Arsenal career.
The 28-year-old will watch Wednesday’s Europa League Final against Chelsea from the stands after sustaining a small tear in the Gunners’ quarter-final, second leg clash against Napoli on April 18.
Three days earlier, Arsenal beat Watford 1-0 in the Premier League, a match in which Ramsey played 68 minutes, but Emery claims he wanted the midfielder to sit the game out.
“Now we can speak about that,” he said. “Sometimes you cannot play every match with the same players because some players can be a risk for injury. When he was playing against Napoli, he was injured.
“The Monday before we played Watford, we won 1-0, and I prefer he didn’t play. I spoke with him. “Aaron, we are playing a lot of matches now. I think you need to rest one match.’
“[He said]: ‘No, no, coach, I want to play, I want to play, I want to play, I want play, it is very important for me, it is very important for the team, I want to play.’
“‘OK. Play.’ And we won. After, Napoli. ‘You OK?’ “Coach, I can, I can, I can.’ And this is the process with him I had.”
Emery reiterated his belief that Ramsey had been “distracted” by uncertainty over his future as he entered the final year of his Arsenal contract.
The club’s offer of an extension was withdrawn in September and it was four months before the Welshman confirmed he would end his 11-year stay in north London by moving to Juventus this summer on a free transfer.
He became one of Emery’s key players thereafter before injury struck and Emery said: “Really, his process this year is a strange process, a strange way. At the beginning, he started the pre-season very excited and well. I said: “Whoa, looking at him close…whoa.”
“But after, in his mind, he was thinking “my future, my future, my future” and something I said to him and in the press conference [was] he was a little distracted. Really, I was thinking his performance is not with the balance and regularity.
“But when he decided his future, in this moment it was difficult for us because he decided his contract is difficult for the club to close and I cannot do nothing, but after, really the last three months he was amazing. Amazing.
“When we played against Tottenham, I was speaking with him and I said: “Aaron, I am getting to know you and I know these matches against Tottenham and I want to do the last part of the season doing something important.
“For example, Tottenham [in March] is very important because it is the derby but also, there was the possibility… we were 10 points behind them in this moment, more or less.
“And if we won, it reduces the difference and we said: ‘OK, we want to do something important for our target.’ And really, his response to me and the team was very good. After, the problem is injuries.
“He wanted to do something important in the Premier League and the Europa League. He is with the same spirit I transmit to the team.”
