Sporting Club forward Viktor Gyökeres has finally reacted to Arsenal defender Gabriel ‘stealing’ his celebration.
Gyökeres, 26, has been one of Europe’s standout players this season, scoring 24 goals in 20 games. However, the Swedish forward was unable to find the net on Tuesday as Arsenal secured a dominant 5-1 victory in Lisbon.
Gabriel scored Arsenal’s third goal in first-half stoppage time, meeting Declan Rice’s corner with a perfectly timed run. The Brazilian then mimicked Gyökeres’ signature celebration, interlocking his hands in front of his face, a gesture the Sporting striker later commented on with humor, saying Gabriel was welcome to “steal it” if he couldn’t create his own.
The celebration was reportedly a response to Pedro Goncalves imitating Granit Xhaka’s celebration during Sporting’s Europa League triumph over Arsenal in March 2023.
Despite the loss, Gyökeres remains a player in high demand, with top clubs like Manchester United, Bayern Munich, and Barcelona reportedly scouting him during the match.
Arsenal’s win moved them to seventh place in the Champions League group stage standings. However, concerns were raised about Gabriel’s fitness, with Mikel Arteta revealing post-match that the defender experienced discomfort, though the exact nature of the issue remains unclear. Arteta also praised his team’s performance, highlighting their efficiency and growth on the European stage.