Santi Cazorla told Arsenal team-mate he was ‘disgusting’ for arriving at match smelling of alcohol

Emiliano Viviano has revealed how Santi Cazorla called him ‘disgusting’ and he ‘almost had a panic attack’ after he once turned up to an Arsenal match reeking of booze.

The former Italy international spent a year with Arsenal, joining the Premier League giants on a 12-month loan deal from Palermo in the summer of 2013.

However, fierce competition from both Wojciech Szczesny and Lucasz Fabianski meant Viviano never played a single minute of action for the Gunners under then manager Arsene Wenger.

While Arsenal lifted their 11th FA Cup at the end of that season, Viviano’s absence meant he was ineligible for a winner’s medal as Wenger’s men celebrated their triumph at Wembley.

Viviano would go on to complete a move to Sporting later summer, where he also struggled for playing time, before returning home to Italy to join Serie B outfit Ascoli.

After making a total of 27 appearances in all competitions for Ascoli, the goalkeeper made the decision to call time on his storied, two-decade long career in the game.

In a wide-ranging interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, published this weekend, VivIano reflected on the highs and lows of his career, from being capped six times by his country to falling by the wayside in north London.

On his time as Gianluigi Buffon’s understudy in the Italian national team, Viviano said: ‘Buffon was a guy who should have been applauded in every Italian stadium but, instead, he didn’t get the respect he deserved everywhere.

‘As his back-up, playing more was impossible.

‘But after those two years I should have been more present in the squad: it wasn’t my fault.’

Asked how he reacted to being left out of Italy’s Euro 2012 squad, Viviano added: ‘It was a stab from [Cesare] Prandelli.

‘The six games I played were all from the previous two years, so Buffon played a certain number of them, me six, and none of the others who later went to the European Championship.

‘I was playing for Palermo, [Salvatore] Sirigu for PSG, [Morgan] De Sanctis for Naples: it would have been easier to leave me at home.

‘It was a political decision and obviously I said that to Prandelli.’

Turning his attentions to his brief, rather forgettable, spell with Arsenal, Viviano explained how he was taken aback by Wenger’s ‘normal’ approach to management.

‘Wenger was there at Arsenal. I expected a revolutionary, he was just a normal manager,’ Viviano, who recently turned 40, said.

‘I didn’t play though because [Wojciech] Szczesny had a fantastic year and [Lucasz] Fabianski was there, too.’

One moment that sticks in Viviano’s memory for all the wrong reasons is Arsenal’s 3-0 defeat away to Everton towards the end of the 2013/14 season.

Fabianski had been expected to be named amongst Wenger’s substitutes that day, with first-choice ‘keeper Szczesny starting between the sticks on Merseyside.

However, Fabianski’s last-minute withdrawal due to illness meant Viviano was called up as a late addition at Goodison Park – and the Italian’s preparation was far from ideal.

‘Okay, so I’m not called up for Everton versus Arsenal and I’m having a night out,’ Viviano recalled.

‘At around 2AM, I go out for a cigarette and read a text message: “Fabianski has been ill, a car will pick you up at six thirty”.

‘I had drunk half a bottle of vodka and I go over to my friend who owns the nightclub and have him read the message. He looks at me: “What now?”… ‘Now bring me more vodka”.

‘I’m home at dawn, have a shower, and when I get to Liverpool, in the dressing room, the great Santi Cazorla says to me: “You smell of alcohol, you’re disgusting”.

‘It was the only time in my life I almost had a panic attack, I couldn’t see and I kept telling myself: “If I have to come on, my career is over”.

Looking to the future, Viviano is considering coaching as a possible next step in his career – but the ex-Italy international is all too aware of the possible downsides of the job.

‘Yes, I’m passionate about the proposal, I’m fascinated by the coaches’ communication and having played in four different countries gives you a huge amount of openness,’ he said.

‘But then I see [Cristian] Chivu, who’s aged twenty years in six months, my brother [Roberto] De Zerbi, who spends 15 hours a day, maybe even more, with his head in there.

‘That job can’t be done by half measures and I think back to the fact that at the end of my career, I couldn’t stand certain things anymore.

‘But I also know that I’m 40 years old, so who knows: in the future, anything is possible.’

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