Arsenal fans have worked out why Gabriel performed Viktor Gyokeres’ celebration during Sporting clash
Arsenal fans have figured out exactly why defender Gabriel copied the iconic celebration of Sporting striker
On Tuesday night, the Champions League matchday saw some intriguing encounters, with Arsenal traveling to Lisbon to face Sporting at the José Alvalade Stadium. The match took an interesting turn when Arsenal’s Gabriel Magalhães scored to put the Gunners 3-0 ahead just before halftime. Fans quickly noticed that Gabriel mimicked the celebration of Sporting striker Viktor Gyökeres, and the reason behind it became clear.
Social media users on X pointed out that Gabriel’s celebration was a revenge move for an incident from six years ago. Back in 2018, during a Champions League clash between the two teams, Granit Xhaka scored the opening goal for Arsenal, only for Pedro Gonçalves of Sporting to equalize. The match ended 1-1, and after a second-leg draw in London, Sporting won the penalty shootout, with goalkeeper Antonio Adán saving a shot from Gabriel Martinelli.
In a moment of celebration following Sporting’s victory and advancement to the quarter-finals, Gonçalves ran to the away fans and mimicked Xhaka’s goal celebration, which was likely the inspiration behind Gabriel’s actions on Tuesday night.
Arsenal fans believe Gabriel Magalhães’ imitation of Viktor Gyökeres’ celebration in their Champions League clash with Sporting was a calculated act of “revenge” for a moment from six years ago. The roots of this playful rivalry trace back to a dramatic 2018 encounter between the two teams.
During that earlier clash, Granit Xhaka scored for Arsenal, only for Pedro Gonçalves to equalize for Sporting. The match ended 1-1, and after another draw in the second leg, Sporting advanced to the quarter-finals on penalties. Gonçalves memorably mimicked Xhaka’s goal celebration in front of the Arsenal fans, leaving a lasting impression on the Gunners faithful.
Fast forward to this week, when Gabriel netted Arsenal’s third goal and responded by replicating Gyökeres’ iconic interlocking hands celebration. Fans on social media were quick to connect the dots, seeing Gabriel’s move as a cheeky nod to the 2018 incident. While Gyökeres took the imitation in stride, calling it a playful gesture, it added an extra layer of intrigue to an already spirited rivalry between the clubs.
