Ashley Cole can complete the first leg of his footballing
redemption this evening in Paris.
The Arsenal left back has missed most of the season with a
combination of foot, ankle and thigh injuries but he has returned
to fitness just in time to play in the Champions League Final
against Barcelona.
With the World Cup coming up next month, Cole still has much to
look forward to in a season that he nearly wrote off.
"It's been really tough for me," he said.
"I've been out the whole season and I've never been
injured for this amount of time before.
"But I think I've come back at the right time. I am
looking forward to being involved in the Champions League Final and
the World Cup.
"I did write my season off at one stage but I've had lots
of friends and family around me and a girlfriend who has stuck by
me when I've been annoying."
Cole played in the first two games of this Champions League run but
has failed to figure since. He feels he has a debt to his
team-mates and has sympathy for stand-in left back Mathieu Flamini,
who picked up an injury in the Semi-Final, if he gets the nod.
"Of course I do owe the players but hopefully I can get into
the team and play," said Cole "I feel sorry for
[Mathieu]. He had a great time while he was playing and then he did
his hamstring.
"But I have worked hard to get fit. I have won the Premiership
twice so the Champions League is the only thing I have not won. It
would be great to add that to my CV. It is one of the biggest
trophies in the world
"We are the first London team to be there. It would amazing
for the fans to win it. This season has been disappointing in the
Premiership so to get where they are now is a great achievement
"It would be a great boost to go into the new stadium as
champions of Europe."
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