I am not playing like I did for Arsenal: Hleb

Barcelona paid €15 million to sign Aliaksandr Hleb last summer and he feels that he has yet to pay back the Catalan outfit.

Aliaksandr Hleb has admitted that he finds it difficult to explain why he has been unable to reproduce the form he showed at Arsenal since joining Barcelona last summer.

The Belorussian playmaker has seen his chances limited under Pep Guardiola and thinks that it could be partly down to the fact he is still trying to learn Spanish.

Hleb has only had a bit-part role this season as Barcelona have played football that has seen them earn plaudits across the globe and he is frustrated.

"I am not playing as well as I did for Arsenal," Sport quote him as saying. "It is difficult to explain. I have struggled to learn Spanish."

"Up until Christmas I was feeling bad because I did not play. But I do not regret signing because Barcelona is one of the biggest clubs in the world and I have a chance to win things and learn things all the time.

"Obviously this is a new situation for me, but I am completely focussed in training in order to be given more chances.

"Everyone should be happy with how the team is playing. There are 18 or more players with a fantastic level here and it is difficult to earn a place in the team."

In the Champions League, Hleb hopes that Barcelona do not face his former club Arsenal until the final or that they are drawn against either Manchester United, Chelsea or Liverpool in the next round.

"I think facing one of the four English sides would be most difficult. I would prefer to meet Arsenal in the final," he added.