Arsenal star Robin van Persie does not care about Emmanuel Adebayor after refusing to shake his hand.
Dutchman refuses to shake hands with former team-mate
Arsenal star Robin van Persie does not care about former team-mate Emmanuel Adebayor after refusing to shake the Manchester City player's hand.
The pair met at Emirates Stadium on Saturday for the first time since their clash at Eastlands earlier in the season when Adebayor, who left the Gunners for City last summer, raked his studs across the face of Van Persie.
There remains bad blood from that incident and Van Persie was forced to refute allegations that a weekend booking for a challenge on his ex-colleague was some attempt at retribution.
The Dutchman, though, was not interested in any attempt at reconciliation with Adebayor and instead insists he is choosing to concentrate on his own team.
"I've not spoken to him," said Van Persie. "I don't care about him because I'm just busy with my own team."
Of his challenge on Adebayor, the forward added: "There was nothing in it. In football you make tackles. That was one of them."
Unbelievable
Van Persie completed 90 minutes for the first time since rupturing ankle ligaments last November and he was delighted to complete a full match.
"I'm so pleased to be back. The plan was to play for 60 or 70 minutes, but everything felt good so I played on," he said.
Van Persie's injury is considered to have been a main hindrance in Arsenal's failed Premier League title challenge, with the 26-year-old rated as one of the best forwards in the world.
The former Feyenoord ace does not think he is quite on a par with the likes of Barcelona's Lionel Messi, who destroyed Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League, but he thinks that he could reach the level of the Argentine in the future.
Van Persie said in The Sun when asked if he was as good as Messi: "Those are big words, because players like Messi are unbelievable.
"It is a bit early to say. I still have to prove it, but I hope to be in that place one day.
"I think I have the qualities to do so, but you need time, you need games and you need to be fit. I just want to have a season without injuries and be happy."
