Arshavin says comments lost in translation

Andrey Arshavin maintains he is very much happy at Arsenal - and insists comments made in the Russian media are "often translated wrongly" and leave him feeling "unpleasant".

The 28-year-old is currently battling to be fit from a calf problem, and may not make the trip to Blackburn on Monday night.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger was, though, left less than impressed by comments attributed to the Russian international which talked up Barcelona, who knocked Arsenal out of the Champions League, and claimed playing for the Spanish giants at some stage "would be the peak of my career".

Wenger, however, stressed he would continue to take such stories with a pinch of salt given their indirect source.

It is not the first time these reported comments from Arshavin have hit the headlines, but the former Zenit St Petersburg midfielder - who joined Arsenal in a £15million deal in January 2009 - insists things can be taken out of context.

"I am often translated wrongly," Arshavin said in Russian newspaper Sport Express.

"If I talk to the English press, there is no problem, but when I say something in Russia, some special news agency takes it, translates it and sells these quotes.

"During the process of interpretation they translate my words as they see fit.

"I find this unpleasant. People might think I said something that, I fact, I never said."

Arshavin maintained: "I respect the club and I am happy that I am a part of it.

"I am very grateful to the Arsenal fans, who love me."