'I played for Arsenal and Sporting but almost ruined it all by turning up at match drunk'

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Former Arsenal and Sporting CP star Emiliano Viviano admitted to nearly playing while drunk. The Italian, who was on loan from Palermo, was Arsene Wenger 's third-choice shot-stopper in the 2013/14 season, though he did not make even one appearance.

However, that may not have been the case had Wojciech Szczesny been forced off during a Premier League match against Everton at Goodison Park, with Viviano - whose former sides meet in the Champions League quarter-finals - opening up on how he was on the bench for that game, roughly 12 hours on from drinking heavily on a night out.

Back in February, he told Italian outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport : “I went out partying and around 2am, I stepped outside to smoke a cigarette and read a SMS, ‘Fabianski is ill, a car will come to pick you up at 6.30am.’

“I had drunk half a bottle of vodka. I went to my friend who owned the nightclub and showed him the message. He asked, ‘What now?’ I replied, ‘Now bring me more vodka.’

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“I got home, had a shower and when I arrived in the dressing room in Liverpool , the great Santi Cazorla told me, ‘You smell of alcohol, it’s disgusting.’

“It was the only time in my life I almost had a panic attack. I couldn’t see anything and kept repeating to myself, 'If I have to play, my career is over.'”

Thankfully for Viviano he did not get on the pitch, with Szczesny managing to complete the full 90 minutes without any issues. However, Arsenal were beaten 3-0 at Goodison Park.

He did make it onto the pitch wearing an Arsenal kit, but that was in a game for the under-21s where he conceded five goals, as per transfermarkt .

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Viviano returned to Palermo at the end of that campaign before joining fellow Serie A side Sampdoria, where he went on to make over 100 appearances. A loan move to Sporting was sanctioned in 2019, but just like at Emirates Stadium, he did not play one single game for the Portuguese side.

He went on to enjoy spells at Serie C side SPAL, Turkish outfit Fatih Karagumruk and Ascoli, also of Italy. He also made a total of 10 appearances for the Italian national team.

Viviano is one of several names to have played for both Sporting and Arsenal with Viktor Gyokeres, Hector Bellerin, Joel Campbell and Cedric Soares others who have represented the two clubs.

The next chapter in their shared history will be written on Tuesday evening with the Gunners heading to Jose Alvalade Stadium for a Champions League quarter-final first leg clash.