Thierry Henry reveals ’emotional shock’ after leaving Arsenal for Barcelona while going through a divorce
THIERRY HENRY has revealed the ’emotional shock’ he went through after leaving Arsenal for Barcelona.
The Frenchman left the North London club in 2007 to set off on a new adventure in Spain.
But during his move to Barca, Henry was battling with an injury and going through a divorce with then wife Claire Merry.
The couple had a daughter together and Henry paid £8million as a divorce settlement.
Speaking to L’Equipe on his mental health at the time, Henry said: “When I left Arsenal for Barcelona it took me a year to be well…
“I arrived injured, I’m going through a divorce, I have to learn a new system, you mix it all up, keep playing the mind.”
The World Cup winner believes being open about mental illness was a ‘taboo’ at the time.
He continued: “In my time it was much more difficult, totally taboo. Even in the group.
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“You came to the locker room: ‘? Are you OK? Yes, even if things weren’t going well.
“Did you sleep well? Yes, even if it wasn’t. Are you in pain? No, even if you were in pain.”
Henry also launched a passionate defence of former team-mate Lionel Messi, who is struggling in his first season at Paris Saint-Germain after leaving his boyhood club Barca.
Messi has just two league goals in what has been an atrocious season by his standards.
Henry said: “When we talk about Messi or Neymar, exceptional players, we forget about this dimension too much.
“When Lionel cried leaving Barcelona, it was not scheduled. When you think that you are never going to leave somewhere and suddenly it happens, it creates an emotional shock.
“People say: ‘Yes, but it’s fine, it has everything you need in Paris.’ But it’s not that obvious.”
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