Petit happy to be back playing 'Rollerball'

After a grim Spanish season, Chelsea's midfielder renews acquaintance with old friends at Arsenal.

He claimed that the Premiership was like Rollerball; that foreign players were discriminated against (after being sent off three times in seven months); and announced just before Euro 2000 that "I will be at Arsenal next season''.

Eight weeks later, at the height of the summer's transfer silly season, Emmanuel Petit was off to Barcelona as part of an extraordinary £30 million deal with Marc Overmars, only to discover that the grass at the Nou Camp was no greener and that he would get far fewer opportunities than anticipated to play on it.

"Playing in England was what I missed,'' he said, rather to his own surprise. A year on, rejoining Arsenal, who had never adequately replaced him, seemed the obvious move but despite speaking to Arsène Wenger he was reluctant to retrace his steps quite so precisely, diverting instead to west London. This afternoon he will play for Chelsea against his former club, grateful, you suspect, that the game is at Stamford Bridge rather than Highbury but still admitting to a little apprehension about how the visiting supporters might receive him: "I would not be honest if I tell you I don't think about it.''

Twice he took on Arsenal in Barcelona's colours, but on each occasion in a friendly, not a derby with early-season points at stake. Each time Overmars appeared to be the more popular of the two, some Gooners having apparently tired of the Frenchman's posturing. That may explain in part why he was keen to make positive noises about them earlier this week, finding a neat analogy to describe the relationship: "It's the same as when you are married and then divorced – you don't hate your wife because of that. Saturday will be a special game for me, but I'm a Chelsea player now. Every weekend you have to play against friends. It's a part of our life, it's our job.

"When I went to Barcelona I received so many letters from Arsenal fans, saying 'good luck' and 'best wishes'. I've been back there with Barcelona [for David Seaman's testimonial in May] and it was very emotional for me.''

The emotion was still not strong enough to convince him that leaving north London for Catalonia was a mistake: "I don't know a player who wouldn't want to go to Barcelona. You must be realistic and honest. Arsenal is a big club, but there are maybe only four or five in the world as big as Barcelona. It's only a regret what happened there.''

What happened, it may be recalled, was that the club's president Joan Gaspart, furious beyond measure at losing Luis Figo to Real Madrid, spent money as if there was no mañana, with little thought as to the requirements of the team (let alone the coach, Lorenzo Serra Ferrer). "I played on the left side, then wider left still until I was on the substitutes' bench,'' Petit said.

Used occasionally at the back, he looked as uncomfortable as when employed there once or twice by Wenger as Barça finished a miserable season with their worst defensive record for 50 years. "Everyday, there were so many things [going on],'' he added. "After a few weeks I didn't feel comfortable in the dressing room or on the pitch. There's too many people there who think they have a lot of power. But now I have put last year on one side.''

The Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri – developing a real personality now that he is speaking rather eccentric English, with much laughter and arm-waving – does not believe the year of living miserably has affected the confidence of his £7.5m signing: "He has a strong character and doesn't need my help. He knows my belief in him. He is a good man and a good player.'' The Italian has paired Petit with Frank Lampard in the centre of midfield and says of his two performances so far: "Against Newcastle he played very well, and against Southampton not bad.''

Petit shares the coach's ambitions for the club, but also his belief that Chelsea are at present only the fifth strongest Premiership side. "There are four teams still better than us, Manchester United, Leeds, Liverpool and Arsenal – not because of their quality but because they play together for such a long time and work together everyday.''

Sir Alex Ferguson was thwarted for once, after making an audacious late attempt to lure Petit to Old Trafford. So what of Man U, Manu? "It's strange with Man United. Every year you feel they can't win again and they do. Arsenal have a chance but for me the best team is Liverpool, they've come back very strongly.''

Watching highlights of England's games against Germany and Albania after returning from France's surprising 2-0 defeat in Chile reminded him of that and confirmed that this is an exciting time for English football. "The average age of the England team is very low and they could improve so much,'' he said.

"They are not far from France now. They could be very difficult to beat in the World Cup.''

He will see plenty of David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Steven Gerrard and the rest over the coming months, possibly testing his new found equanimity on the subject of English referees. Sent off four times while at Arsenal, he came out with a quote of almost Cantona-like obliqueness: "When you have to eat porridge every day, there comes a moment when you can't take it anymore.''

Whether or not that was a comment on Wenger's dietary stipulations, Petit had left these shores within a few months. Now he is back, not exactly eating humble pie, but claiming: "I feel more settled. It's like I never left.'' Chelsea should feel the benefit; Arsenal, without his pal Patrick Vieira to counter him today, may pay the price.