Arsenal Player Scolded ‘Disgusting’ Teammate Who Thought His Career Had Ended

A former Arsenal star has opened up about the time one of his teammates branded his pre-match actions as “disgusting” ahead of a Premier League game.

These days, most professional footballers at the highest level are consummate professionals and rarely step out of line during or even outside of the season.

Players regularly undergo fitness and body fat tests throughout the season, with those who fall below expectations usually being dropped from the squad for matches.

Meanwhile, players consuming alcohol is generally seen as a no-no, given the negative impact it can have on athletic performance.

And one former Arsenal star found this out the hard way when he was unexpectedly called up to the Gunners squad for a 3-0 defeat against Everton in 2013/14.

Italian goalkeeper Emiliano Viviano enjoyed a 12-month loan spell from Palermo during the 2013/14 campaign.

Santi Cazorla and Emiliano Viviano in March 2014 (Credit:Getty)

At the time, he was down the pecking order under Arsene Wenger, with Wojciech Szczesny and Lukasz Fabianski seen as first and second choice, respectively.

So, Viviano did not expect to make the matchday squad for the clash at Goodison Park, but that’s exactly what happened.

Szczesny was expected to start, with Fabianski expected to be sub. However, the back-up withdrew due to illness, meaning the Italian was a late addition to the squad.

“Okay, so I’m not called up for Everton versus Arsenal, and I’m having a night out,” Viviano said when speaking to Italian outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“At around 2am, I went out for a cigarette and read a text message: ‘Fabiański has been ill. A car will pick you up at half past six.’

“I’d drunk half a bottle of vodka, so I went over to my friend who owns the nightclub and asked him to read the message. He looked at me and said, ‘What now?’... ‘Now bring me more vodka.’

“I got home at dawn, had a shower, and when I arrived in Liverpool, in the dressing room, the great Santi Cazorla said to me, ‘You smell of alcohol — you’re disgusting.’

“It was the only time in my life I almost had a panic attack. I couldn’t see, and I kept telling myself, ‘If I have to come on, my career is over.’”

Viviano failed to make a single first-team appearance under Wenger before returning to Italy upon the conclusion of his loan after the 2013/24 campaign.

He signed for Sampdoria that summer before enjoying spells at Sporting CP, SPAL, Fatih Karagumruk and Ascoli.

The 40-year-old retired in 2024 and is now considering going into coaching.