I'd have saved Arsenal from European heartbreak, insists Lehmann
Jens Lehmann has claimed Arsenal would be gearing up to play Chelsea in the semi-final of the Champions League if he had been picked against Liverpool, blaming Arsene Wenger's decision to select Manuel Almunia ahead of him as a major contributing factor in their quarter-final defeat.
The German has been fiercely critical of Wenger's decision to overlook him this season in favour of Almunia and is almost certain to quit the Emirates in the summer. But the goalkeeper, 38, is sure he could have left Arsenal with a Champions League winners' medal if he had been given the nod for the games against Liverpool.
Under wraps: Jens Lehmann suffers on the substitutes' bench during what has been a frustrating season for the Arsenal goalkeeper
'I stayed here to win the Champions League and I saw good chances to play, but I have not had these (chances) and that makes me very angry,' he fumed.
Discussing the 5-3 aggregate defeat to Liverpool, Lehmann added: 'F
or me personally, it is a tragedy, particularly since I did not have a chance to prevent it. I have had such thoughts (about being able to prevent defeats) ever since the coach took me out of the team following the 0-0 against Milan.'
Playing second fiddle to Almunia, a keeper he views as his inferior, has enraged Lehmann as has Wenger's failure to give him what he considers to be a fair chance to win back his place.
'To be sitting on the bench behind somebody who only started to play when he was 30 is not funny,' said Lehmann.
'I am very angry. If the coach had spoken to me before the start of the season then I would have been able to decide if I wanted to sit on the bench. He has a different opinion and I don't really believe he can be happy with it.'
Lehmann passed up the chance to join Borussia Dortmund in January to stay to fight for his place, but now fears his lack of action could jeopardise his chance of being Germany's first-choice keeper at Euro 2008.
Such is the breakdown in relations between him and his manager, Lehmann conceded even a starring role for his country this summer would be unlikely to convince Wenger that he is the best keeper at Arsenal.
He added: 'If he (Wenger) has not seen it yet, then he won't see it at the European Championship either if I perform well.'
Lehmann's club colleague, Alexander Hleb, has hit out at referees whose controversial penalty decisions also contributed to Arsenal's Champions League demise.