Thierry Henry: I've only seen my daughter five times in eight months

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Thierry Henry with his two-year-old daughter Tea. The Barcelona footballer does not see her as much as he would like

Former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry spoke today about the personal problems that have blighted his move to Barcelona.

The 30-year-old player was divorced from his wife Claire Merry last year shortly after his transfer to Spain and revealed he does not see his daughter Tea, two, as much as he would like.

"As you all know I've got some personal problems and my daughter is the most important thing in my life," Henry told a news conference.

"I'm not happy because a father that only sees his daughter five times in the last eight months cannot be. If you know what it is to have a daughter then you can imagine what it is like.

"I'm not asking you to cry for me, only that people don't talk for me."

Henry's former Arsenal teammate Robert Pires had been quoted as saying in the Spanish media that the striker had left the Nou Camp without talking to him on Sunday because he was disappointed at being substituted during Barcelona's 2-1 defeat at home by Villarreal.

But Henry said he had rushed off to see his daughter.

He added that his problems were not of Barcelona's making and praised the club's medical staff for dealing successfully with the back problems that affected him earlier this season.

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Henry with former wife Claire Merry in 2005. They divorced last year

The French striker, who has scored seven goals in 19 league appearances, admitted he was having problems in being asked to play out of position. "It's time to stop comparing the Barcelona Henry with the Arsenal Henry."

Asked how he might improve his performance he replied: "If I could see my daughter more that would help."

 

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