Featured image: PA Images
Hatem Ben Arfa may have done his best to resurrect his flagging career with a sterling return to form last season at Nice, but now the French winger appears to be experiencing problems with new club Paris Saint-Germain, after being sent home from training ahead of tonight's Champions League game with Arsenal.
The French champions have confirmed that Ben Arfa is not injured, but will be expected to report to Camp des Loges today, starting at 11:00am, to complete a one-man workout. "There is no reason for Ben Arfa's absence - Hatem is not injured, and he had no problem with the coach," Juan Carlos Carcedo, Unai Emery's deputy told Goal.
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Despite Carcedo's insistence that the decision is not a punishment, Ben Arfa feels the treatment is humiliating, especially given that Emery has only had a month to judge him, after arriving as Laurent Blanc's replacement, from Sevilla.
Image credit: PA Images
It is being reported that Ben Arfa is digging his heels in and putting the hours in during training, however, which is a refreshing change of pace from the earlier days of his career when such a setback could have resulted in him disappearing, as he did during his ill fated spell with Hull City. Indeed, the former Newcastle United man has featured in every game so far, this season but has had a warning from Emery, who recently told members of the press "He has played in every game. Sometimes more, sometimes less, but he has played every time. He needs to work to improve himself so that if he plays a good 10 minutes, he can play 20 minutes the next time and so on."
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Ben Arfa signed a two year deal with the Ligue Un champions and will be hoping to prove himself to Emery sooner rather than later.
(H/T Goal)