Mikael Silvestre admits he's happy with the big French contingent at Arsenal.

"It was very easy for me because most of the people speak French in here," he said. "And I knew most of the guys in that squad were friendly. It was a good club to join, I knew the quality was there even if the results were not."

Asked about the presence of three English clubs in the Champions League semi-finals, Silvestre said he was not surprised at all.

"Practically three-quarters of the world's best players are in the Premier League," Silvestre said. "And with the money they have, it's easier to find the players. It's 100% sports business. They live their passion, give themselves the means to succeed and have taken away hooliganism from the stadiums. It's a flagship league, whose quality has improved a lot. I think the presence of foreign managers is one of the key parts of their success."