Stuttgart goalkeeper Jens Lehmann is full of praise for his former Arsenal teammate Manuel Almunia.

The pair didn't always see eye-to-eye at the Gunners, but Lehmann says: "Manuel Almunia has been fantastic this season, he's played probably the best of his career. He is totally mature and maybe has a little less pressure because I am no longer there. I have already said that he is now among the best in his field.

"We had a competitive rivalry, of course, with everything very psychological, but I think we have both always respected each other.

"It would be presumptuous to say that while I was there I was stuck behind a bad goalkeeper on the bench. He was already a very good goalkeeper. This I must admit to you."