I joined Man City in difficult decision – how I was treated was unfair and upset me

The former Arsenal and Manchester City defender has opened up on his decision to leave the Gunners

Bacary Sagna has confessed he was deeply upset by Arsenal fans who accused him of transferring to Manchester City for financial reasons. The Frenchman's two former clubs will clash in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday, with Sagna likely to be found in the red section of Wembley.

The ex-Gunners defender maintained that he expected a new contract in north London but left when it failed to appear. Sagna joined Arsenal in 2007, racking up 284 appearances mainly as a right-back.

The French international contributed to 29 goals and clinched the FA Cup alongside then-skipper and current manager Mikel Arteta. However, his tenure at Arsenal ended on a sour note just after the domestic cup triumph as he inked a deal with the then-Premier League champions City.

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His move wasn't well received by fans at the time, who alleged Sagna had defected to Arsenal's rivals for financial benefit. The now-43-year-old has vehemently denied these claims and reiterated that money wasn't his motivation when relocating to Manchester.

Speaking to Ladbrokes at the launch of Ladisfaction, he said: "Leaving Arsenal, it was a very difficult decision for me to make. I remember being emotional at the start of the 2013-14 season without having really talked to anyone at the club, and I got frustrated. Emotionally, I think I was damaged, and this is the moment when I decided to leave.

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"I wanted to feel loved and respected - I knew I was loved and respected a lot, but contractually, I signed a new contract in 2008 and between then and 2014, I never changed my contract. So at that time, in 2013, I thought I deserved it [a new contract], but it didn't come."

Sagna confessed he was aware throughout that his final appearance for Arsenal was approaching and felt departing with silverware was the ideal conclusion. He added: "So I knew for that whole season that I was playing my last year for Arsenal, and that really hurt."

"You know, playing every single game, and going back to my house in London, knowing I'd be leaving in the summer... it was a really difficult time. We obviously won the FA Cup that year, although we were 2-0 down early on against Hull City, and I can just remember telling myself 'there's no way we are losing this game'."

"I knew it was my last game for the club, and so I was talking to myself throughout it, saying there was no way we could lose another cup final at Wembley."

Expressing his disappointment at the fans' response, Sagna said: "I was also frustrated because I couldn't properly say goodbye to the fans, and it would have been nice to do that. I really wanted to do that, but it didn't happen in the end.

"What I actually got was the opposite; people got upset at me for leaving. But I gave my all for the club, and I never asked for anything - I was more than happy.

"Leaving Arsenal, it was a very difficult decision for me to make. I remember being emotional at the start of the 2013-14 season without having really talked to anyone at the club, and I got frustrated. Emotionally, I think I was damaged, and this is the moment when I decided to leave.

"I've always said, you'll not find another player that stays at your club for six seasons without complaining or asking for anything. You will not find that player. So when I left, and people said I left for money, I was upset.

"I was upset at the fans, because I felt like I had given them my life. You know, even when I wasn't at my best emotionally... I played for the club when I was injured, I played when I was a bit sick, I played when I lost my brother... and now you're saying I left for money?

"I found that very unfair, and I was very upset. With time, things went back to normal, but at first I was hurt."