Portuguese media reacts to Arsenal striker Victor Goqueres’ performance against Sporting CP
Arsenal striker Victor Gokeres has been criticized for his performance against Sporting CP (Image: Rob Newell – CameraSport via Getty Images)
Victor Goqueres has been criticized by the Portuguese media following his performance against Sporting CP. The Arsenal forward was substituted early in the second half against his former club at the Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners held on to their 1-0 advantage in the first leg to advance to the Champions League semi-finals. The second leg was a tense 0-0, but Mikel Arteta’s side maintained their composure and advanced to the top four of the competition for the second consecutive year.
The match had special significance for Gokeres, who joined Arsenal from the Portuguese side in the summer. However, they were unable to find the back of the net throughout both games, with Kai Havertz’s shot proving the difference.
The former Sporting player had a great spell at Lisbon, scoring 97 goals in 102 appearances and helping the club win two league titles. However, the former Sporting hero failed to charm the Portuguese press with his performance on Wednesday.
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Bora published his player ratings for Arsenal and gave Gokeres the lowest rating in the team. The Swedish striker scored three out of 10 points alongside Gunners defender Cristian Mosquera.
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A Portuguese newspaper described the striker, who goes by his middle name Einar, as “Victor, much less Gokeres, never set foot in the Emirates.” In a scathing verdict, the magazine hinted that he was actually helping Sporting’s backline.
Before replacing Havertz, A. Bora reported that Gokeres “simply acted as the fourth central defender” for the opposition team. It was a difficult night for Arteta’s side, with the forward struggling against Sporting’s three-man defence.
A. Bora’s player evaluation review concluded, “No one needed him in the pocket. He just didn’t show up.”
Arsenal will face Atletico Madrid in the semi-finals, aiming to reach the Champions League final for the first time in 20 years. Gokeres scored twice against Diego Simeone’s side in the group stage and will be keen to keep his place in the starting lineup for the crucial European match.
Gokeres was substituted early in the second half (Image: Vince Mignott/DeFodi Images/DeFodi via Getty Images)
The 27-year-old found himself under intense scrutiny throughout his first campaign with the Gunners. However, he has scored 18 goals in 46 games in all competitions, including four in 10 Champions League games.
Before joining Arsenal, Gokeres was considered one of Europe’s best strikers through his performances with Sporting. He recently spoke to Football London about his thoughts on playing against his old colleagues in the first leg in Lisbon.
“I hadn’t been there for a while and it was a little strange to play against them, of course, to come back there and play on the other side, because I’ve never done anything like that in my career,” Gokeres explained. “It felt great and great to be back there. And of course winning the game was what we all wanted.”
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