Former Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner admitted that he once fiercely clashed with former teammate Emmanuel Adebayor during his career. Despite being just a year apart in age, the two often found themselves competing for the same spot in Arsenal’s attack. Their rivalry came to a head during a heated on-field confrontation in a 2008 Carling Cup match against Tottenham.
In 2020, Bendtner revisited his turbulent relationship with ex-Arsenal teammate Adebayor, shedding more light on their infamous clash. The now 37-year-old Dane, who made 171 appearances for the Gunners between 2005 and 2014, revealed that while he rarely harboured animosity towards other players, Adebayor was the one exception.
Their simmering rivalry erupted in January 2008 during a heated Carling Cup semi-final against Tottenham. The flashpoint came in Arsenal’s penalty area, leaving Bendtner with a cut on the bridge of his nose and blood staining his shirt. Tensions boiled over late in the match as Arsenal, trailing 4-1, prepared to defend a corner. Bendtner—who had earlier scored an own goal—and Adebayor began jostling near the far post.
The altercation escalated, with reports suggesting Bendtner was headbutted by his teammate before captain William Gallas intervened, separating the two. Gallas, visibly frustrated, also confronted Bendtner, while Eduardo da Silva and Bacary Sagna pulled Adebayor away. The incident left a bitter taste as Arsenal crashed out of the cup to their North London rivals with an eventual 5-1 scoreline. For Bendtner, it remains a moment of frustration and one that has been difficult to forgive or forget.
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Bendtner vs Adebayor at Arsenal |
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|---|---|---|
|
Player |
Bendtner |
Adebayor |
|
Games |
171 |
142 |
|
Goals |
47 |
62 |
|
Assists |
22 |
18 |
Bendtner Reflects On Fractured Relationship With Adebayor
The duo could never see eye-to-eye in their efforts to reclaim Arsenal’s glory days
Speaking exclusively to Arsenal’s ‘In Lockdown’ podcast back in 2020, the Dane explained the truth behind the controversial incident. “He’s not really my cup of tea,” Bendtner said. “I got on with most people in the team and made some really good friends, but me and him? Probably not so much.
“I remember him being substituted on and I think there was a key moment where I don’t think the ball had been passed to him. There was a heated exchange of words where a lot was said between us, and then we squared up to each other. Then he sort of push headbutted me, so he sort of pushed me away while headbutting me on the nose. Then Gallas came in, split us up and took us apart.”
“I was very upset. I mean, we had such a poor performance, I think we lost 5-1. I was disappointed enough with myself and the team about the performance we gave, so that [incident] obviously didn’t do anything to help,” he added. “We tried to talk to it through in the dressing room but not so much words… more something else. Then we got separated and called into the boss’ office the next day. We got fined and that was the end of it. We didn’t really have any encounters at all from that moment.
“We never tried to patch things up,” he added. “We learned to have the respect for the club and the team. That we would be on the same team, we would give everything when we were on the pitch together, but we wouldn’t be friends. “It’s not like if he was through on goal I wouldn’t pass the ball to him, that would never have been an effect from my point of view. I would always have passed in the greater good. We sort of just learned to play having it the way we had it, with the respect and understanding of the group.”
In an interview in the same year with TalkSPORT, as per Daily Mail, Bendtner also tried to make a positive take on the incident. He said: “It got explained how we had to learn how to deal with each other on a professional level and on a personal level. It was actually quite a good way of learning how to work with someone that you really disliked.”
Stats via Transfermarkt
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