• FA Cup

Grant looked down on me - Anelka

ESPN staff
May 15, 2010
Nicolas Anelka felt his Bolton past was held against him © Getty Images
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Nicolas Anelka has accused Avram Grant of 'looking down' on him and he admits he is glad the Portsmouth manager is not leading Chelsea into the FA Cup final.

Grant bossed Anelka at Stamford Bridge during the 2007/08 season, which saw the Frenchman miss a crucial penalty that handed the Champions League to Manchester United. The pair will come face-to-face again at Wembley as Pompey bid to produce one of the great FA Cup shocks, but Anelka is convinced Chelsea have the better manager.

Talking in his new book, Anelka, published on Sunday, the 31-year-old claims he was overlooked as a genuine first-team option due to the fact he had arrived from Bolton.

"Grant used to look down on me," quotes the Sun.

"It was as though he felt I should be grateful and not ask for anything. The pretext for this was I had been brought in from Bolton.

"I set great store by emotions and Grant did not show great confidence in me. In the 2008 Champions League final against Manchester United, Grant threw me on as a sub without giving me any warning.

"In the end I messed up the very last penalty in the shootout, which Edwin van der Sar pushed away. It is sad to say but I knew I was going to miss my kick."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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