In an exclusive interview with the popular “Denilson show” podcast, Gabriel Jesus, the talented Brazilian forward, has shed light on the pivotal incident that prompted his decision to leave Manchester City and make a move to Arsenal. Jesus, who worked under the tutelage of Pep Guardiola for an impressive five-year period at the Etihad Stadium, expressed that the switch to Arsenal last summer has granted him a sense of liberation.
Recounting his turning point at Manchester City, Jesus revealed that it occurred during a momentous Champions League clash against Paris Saint-Germain in November 2021, where he found himself on the bench. Guardiola’s decision to deploy Oleksandr Zinchenko as a false nine caught Jesus off guard, as Zinchenko had not even participated in the previous day’s training session. Jesus shared, “Zinchenko even joked with me: ‘that day I felt bad for you.'”
The Brazilian striker further detailed the emotional toll the incident took on him, stating, “Two hours before the game, there’s a team talk, the team eats, rests for 30 minutes, and goes to the game. He told us the team, I didn’t even eat. I went straight to the room, crying, I called my mother to talk: ‘I want to leave.’ I’m going home because he put [Zinchenko] on, and he didn’t put me on. He put a left-back there. I went crazy.”
However, fate intervened in the second half when Jesus was called upon to replace Zinchenko. Displaying immense resilience and determination, Jesus assisted in the equalizer and then scored a late winner, leading Manchester City to a 2-1 triumph over Paris Saint-Germain.
Despite his contribution to the team’s success, Jesus remained discontented as he reflected on subsequent events. He revealed, “In the next [Champions League] game [a 2-1 win at RB Leipzig], I thought I was going to play, and I didn’t play. There was a lot of that with him [Guardiola], and it’s not easy. But one [player] evolves. It is really hard. That’s when I decided, I didn’t want to stay anymore. And I decided to leave.”
Having joined Manchester City from Palmeiras in January 2017, Gabriel Jesus enjoyed a fruitful spell at the club, amassing an impressive collection of 11 titles during his tenure. However, the incident with Guardiola and the subsequent frustration it caused proved to be the catalyst for Jesus to seek a new challenge elsewhere, culminating in his move to Arsenal.
Jesus’s arrival at Arsenal last summer has injected fresh energy into the Gunners’ attacking prowess, and the Brazilian international is relishing his new chapter in North London.
With his departure from Manchester City now in the past, Gabriel Jesus sets his sights on further achievements and personal growth as he embraces the challenges and opportunities that await him at Arsenal.
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