William Gallas has made an astonishing claim that he feared he could be tasered after falling out with former France team-mate Samir Nasri.
The ex-Arsenal and Chelsea defender made the incredible allegation on French TV channel RMC in front of a shocked Emmanuel Petit and Franck Le Bouef.
Gallas and Nasri – who also played together at club level for Arsenal – were known to have had a falling out in 2008 after the defender took exception to Nasri apparently taking Thierry Henry’s seat on the France team bus, which Gallas thought showed a lack of respect.
But now Gallas has claimed things could have gone a lot further.
“What you need to know is that I was staying at the hotel with my family,” he said, live on TV. “I was with my cousins for a meal, it was the eve of a gathering of the French team.
Gallas was just getting started. He continued:
“At the end of the meal, I went out of the hotel and some people approached me and wanted to talk with me. Initially I did not want to, then I recognised a person who was often with Samir at the Arsenal training ground.
“A few days before, we had had an altercation about comments that he may have made about me, and I did not like them [the comments]. This person wanted us to talk and wanted me to see Samir, who was in a car further away so I got ready to follow him – but my cousin, who is a policeman, told me in creole not to follow him.
“At the same time, I glanced inside and I saw someone crouched down with a bag. In the bag, there were Tasers. I didn’t know why. But luckily I was with people that day, because I do not know what could have happened.”
There is no evidence to suggest Nasri was planning anything, was present, or even knew the conversation with the unknown man took place. You can watch the interview here.
Aaron Kernan joins Colm Parkinson on The GAA Hour to explain the work he’s doing for the Club Players Association. Derry captain Chrissy McKaigue talks Slaughtneil and a Dublin club advertising for hurlers gets a sore touch. Subscribe here on iTunes.