Thierry Henry left the CBS Sports set during an interview segment before Arsenal’s Champions League clash with Real Madrid. The Gunners were set to host the 15-time European champions in the quarter-final first leg at the Emirates Stadium, with Henry present to watch the highly anticipated match.
As part of CBS Sports’ pre-game coverage, Henry was interviewed alongside his former Arsenal and France teammate Robert Pires. The two reflected on their time under Arsène Wenger, recalling their unbeaten Premier League-winning season. However, when presenter Anita Jones brought up a notorious moment from their past, Henry reacted by rolling his eyes before the question was even asked.
Before walking off-camera, Henry quipped, “Wait, I’m going to leave you alone because he [Pires] messed it up,” causing shock among studio pundits Jamie Carragher and Micah Richards. The discussion was about Henry and Pires’ failed penalty attempt against Manchester City in 2005, for which Pires admitted responsibility, saying, “It was my fault, it was my mistake.” He also claimed the referee was unaware of the rules.
Footage of the incident played, and Henry returned to clarify that while the penalty idea was his, he wasn’t the one who made the mistake. Pires had intended to pass the ball to Henry but failed to make proper contact, leading to City being awarded a free kick, with defender Danny Mills criticizing Pires for perceived showboating.
The penalty routine was originally executed successfully by Johan Cruyff and Jesper Olsen at Ajax, and years later, Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez pulled it off for Barcelona.
Despite the lighthearted blame, Henry went on to praise Pires, calling him a “special player” and highlighting his contributions to Arsenal and France. He emphasized Pires’ incredible skill and work ethic, joking that if not for the size of the field, he could still be playing football today.
Leave a Reply