Bacary Sagna has backed Arsenal to retain the Premier League title this season, and in the same breath named Santi Cazorla, not Mesut Ozil, not Robin van Persie, as the best teammate of his career.
The former Arsenal right-back, who also spent five seasons at Manchester City, gave both answers in a quickfire round on The Italian Football Podcast. Asked who he was backing for the title, Sagna’s response was simply Arsenal. Asked to name his best-ever teammate, he answered just as directly with Cazorla.
That continued faith in his old club is notable given Arsenal’s current direction under the club’s recruitment strategy, with Sagna clearly still tracking how Mikel Arteta’s squad is shaping up for the campaign ahead.
Why Cazorla Over The Bigger Names?
The Cazorla pick stands out because Sagna’s career was stacked with elite company. At Arsenal he lined up alongside Ozil and van Persie; at City he shared a dressing room with Kevin De Bruyne, Yaya Toure and Sergio Aguero.
None of them got the nod. Instead Sagna singled out the Spanish playmaker, whose technical quality on his day made him one of the more underrated performers of that Arsenal era, even if injury problems ultimately cut his peak years short.
Sagna’s Verdict On Fabregas And Como
The podcast conversation also turned to Cesc Fabregas, another former Arsenal teammate of Sagna’s, who is now managing Como. Sagna was complimentary about the job Fabregas is doing, saying he wasn’t surprised Como had reached the Champions League, and backing the club to finish in the top three of Serie A this season, while stopping short of tipping them to win the Scudetto outright. He also predicted Como would be “brave” enough to reach the Champions League knockout stage.
On where Fabregas goes next, Sagna was direct: he does not see the Spaniard ever coaching Arsenal or Manchester United. Instead, his view is that Fabregas will stay at Como until the timing feels right, with Barcelona the destination once Hansi Flick eventually departs. “I think he will stay at Como until he sees clearly,” Sagna said. “Barcelona will be an option for him when Hansi Flick leaves. He’s just patient. He’s learning, growing as a coach.”
Sagna’s Wider Serie A And Premier League Takes
Sagna ranged well beyond Arsenal and Como during the conversation. He praised Inter’s Djed Spence, calling him a top player and more balanced than Denzel Dumfries, and said new Manchester City boss Enzo Maresca shares “the same DNA” as Pep Guardiola. He also had warm words for two of City’s summer arrivals, calling Ayoub Bouaddi “a baller” and pointing to the impact Enzo Fernández has had both at Chelsea and with Argentina.
For now, Fabregas remains at Como and Sagna remains an Arsenal man at heart, even sat alongside memories of Etihad silverware. His title pick and his Cazorla verdict both point the same way: whatever role Manchester City played in his career, it’s Arsenal that still gets the benefit of the doubt.
