Wenger: Opponents 'bought' my players

12 April 2012

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has claimed he has managed players who had been "bought" by opponents.

Wenger hit out at referee Martin Hansson over the official's display in the Gunners' Champions League last-16 first-leg defeat in Porto on Wednesday. The Frenchman labelled Hansson "incompetent" before seemingly implying he had managed players who had taken bribes to fix games.

Quoted in several national newspapers, he said: "I have seen much worse than that in my life - my own players were bought by the opponent. And I didn't become paranoid."

The former Nancy, Monaco and Nagoya Grampus Eight coach did not give any details over the club or players concerned, however.

"I do not want to come out on the past," he said. "In my job, you always have reasons to become paranoid, so I do not want to go the way to think that people are not honest."

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