Belarus midfielder Alex Hleb admits he regrets walking out on Arsenal last year.
Hleb, set to face England in Wednesday's final World Cup qualifier at Wembley, admits he will feel sad being back in north London and so close to the club where he did so well.
Now with Stuttgart, Hleb said: "I regret leaving Arsenal. I was playing every week for one of the most exciting sides in Europe.
"I was being guided by one of the best coaches in the world and I owe Arsene Wenger a great deal. A footballer only truly exists when he takes to the field and makes a proper contribution to the team.
"But at Barcelona the season was spent with me almost entirely on the bench. I just couldn't continue with them.
"I was part of the squad that was almost unstoppable but it was hard not to feel detached from all the happiness and celebration at the end of last season.
"I could have gone to Inter Milan on loan but I turned down Jose Mourinho to go back to my old club Stuttgart, where I was always very happy."
