"Spanish football is going to get the chance to see a great Henry and I am sure that it will be so," said Pires. "I have always said that the Spanish Liga is for Henry and with the quality that he has and the team in which has joined everything is there for him to do well."

However, Pires did joke: "I don't think Thierry understands the meaning of the word 'bench'. He knows he has a lot of competition with (Lionel) Messi, (Samuel) Eto'o and Ronaldinho."