Cygan happy to face Gunners

Defender expects exciting tie

Last updated: 6th April 2009  

Cygan happy to face Gunners

Cygan: Excited

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Pascal Cygan admits he and Robert Pires were hoping to face Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League.

Villarreal play host to Arsenal in the first leg of their quarter-final encounter on Tuesday as former Gunners Cygan and Pires come up against their old employers.

Cygan, who spent four years in North London, believes there are similarities between Villarreal and Arsenal in how they play the game

"We have a good team with good players and we play very good football like Arsenal," Cygan told Sky Sports News.

"We are very happy, Robert and me, because we wanted this game."

Cygan left Arsenal for Villarreal in the summer of 2006 and he admits he only left the Gunners because he wanted to be playing regular first-team football.

"I was in a big family and I was very happy," added Cygan. "But when you are in a club you are over there to play and not to be on the bench every time and for me it was difficult."