A Bitter Return to Lisbon for Gyökeres
Viktor Gyökeres failed to deliver in his highly anticipated return to Lisbon, as Arsenal secured a narrow advantage without their star signing making an impact.
Former Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyökeres endured a night to forget in his long-awaited return to Lisbon, as Arsenal claimed a slender advantage in their UEFA Champions League quarter-final tie. While fans at the Estádio José Alvalade showed respect for their former hero, the Portuguese press delivered a far more critical verdict on his underwhelming performance.
Portuguese press pulls no punches
Gyökeres returned to Lisbon carrying high expectations, but the Swedish international failed to rise to the occasion against his former club. Despite his outstanding scoring record in Portugal, he struggled to make any real impact, drawing sharp criticism from local media.
“The striker celebrates with a mask, [but] he seemed masked: barely visible,” reported A Bola, highlighting how isolated he looked throughout the match.
Other outlets were equally disappointed. O Jogo claimed that Sporting “suffocated” their former talisman, while Público noted that the striker was “largely absent from the game.” It was a humbling night for a player who had scored 97 goals in 102 appearances for the Portuguese giants, only to be neutralized by defenders who once played alongside him.
A frustrating night in Lisbon
The numbers painted a bleak picture for the Arsenal forward, who managed just 17 touches during his time on the pitch. In fact, his most notable involvement worked against his team, as he was ruled offside in the buildup to a disallowed goal by Martin Zubimendi.
When Gyökeres finally found a yard of space late on, his weak effort was comfortably saved by Rui Silva. It was a far cry from the explosive form that convinced Arsenal to spend £65 million on his signing.
Arteta finds magic elsewhere
With Gyökeres unable to make an impact, manager Mikel Arteta turned to his bench to change the game.
Substitutes Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz proved decisive, with the latter scoring a dramatic stoppage-time winner to hand Arsenal a valuable first-leg advantage.
Arteta praised his substitutes after the match: “In the end, a moment of magic from the finishers wins us the game,” he said, underlining the importance of squad depth on a night when his star striker went missing.
