Gyökeres went into the Sporting dressing room, message revealed | OneFootball

Arsenal ultimately beat Sporting 1-0 in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals at Alvalade. Kai Havertz’s goal deep into stoppage time gave the English side the advantage in the tie and left the Lions in a delicate position ahead of the trip to London. But there was more to the match than that.

Despite the celebratory atmosphere in the Gunners’ dressing room after the final whistle, one player chose a different moment. Viktor Gyökeres remained on the pitch for several minutes, where he greeted former teammates, coaches and various Sporting staff members, in a reunion marked by gestures of closeness.

According to newspaper A Bola, the Swedish striker also took the opportunity to send a message of confidence to his former teammates. Gyökeres wished Sporting good luck for the rest of the season and said he believes the Lions can still win a third straight national title.

Those words come at a time when Rui Borges’ team sit second in the league with 68 points, five fewer than leaders Porto, with six rounds still to play and a game in hand against Tondela. The title race therefore remains open.

Sporting and Arsenal will now face each other again next Wednesday, April 15, at the Emirates Stadium. The second leg of the quarter-finals will decide which team advances to the semi-finals, where they will face the winner of the clash between Barcelona and Atlético de Madrid.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.