Bacary Sagna shares how his brother’s death impacted his path in football

Former Arsenal defender, Bacary Sagna has shared that the demise of his brother in 2008 took a toll on his footballing career.

He explained that the unfortunate incident occurred shortly after he signed for Arsenal, and it negatively impacted his performance.

“I lost my brother when I joined Arsenal in 2008. My brain was not here. It was my second season. So some of the players might come and be in the same mindset, might not have their head in football, because they will constantly think about it.

“Because in the dressing room, one space will be free. Lunchtime, one space will be free. On the bus, one space will be free. I clearly advise them to speak up, first of all, things I didn’t do. But it had an impact on me, so I know how it feels,” he told CNN.

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Speaking on the impact of the death of Portuguese forward Diogo Jota on Liverpool, the defender believes that the incident has contributed to the club’s abysmal performances in the 2025/26 season.

Sagna advised that it is prudent for players and team officials to seek counseling and speak out about their feelings in order to overcome the emotions.

“They [Liverpool officials] need to open up about it. They need not forget. Because the mistake I made was to try and avoid talking about it. I was getting upset, but it was a mistake. Because you have to let things out before you can even perform and let your football out. So no, we should not forget.

“We should always remind ourselves of the player he was, first of all. And for the family also, to always bring up his memory. And as a team, maybe try to use this experience to get stronger and use it every single game,” he added.

Liverpool have been in a disastrous run of form, going six matches without a win before the 2-0 victory against West Ham.

They currently 8th on the Premier League table with 21 points.

Watch the interview below:

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