Olivier Giroud will make his return to the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night as Arsenal host Lille in the Champions League.
The Frenchman, who spent six years at Arsenal between 2012 and 2018, is a divisive figure among the Gunners’ fanbase. But speaking to TNT Sports ahead of the game, Giroud didn’t try to hide what the occasion means to him.
“Really emotional, really excited,” he said. “But tomorrow I will be focused on the game, on what I have to do on the pitch — 100% with the team. Just try to put all these memories on the side. But it’s a special moment for me.
“I had the opportunity to come back with Chelsea, but it’s been eight years now since I left the club, and a few years I didn’t come back on the pitch, especially in the Champions League. Very special moment.”
What reception will Olivier Giroud receive from the Arsenal fans?
Giroud scored 105 goals for Arsenal and won three FA Cups, playing a crucial role in helping Arsene Wenger’s side end their nine-year trophy drought. Mikel Arteta, of course, was his teammate during that period.
It will certainly be interesting to see what sort of reception Giroud receives from the Arsenal faithful on Tuesday evening. His move to Chelsea in 2018 complicated his relationship with the fans, and matters were made worse when he made a dig at the club after that devastating Europa League final defeat to Chelsea in Baku in 2019.
Even when he was at the club, many fans were unconvinced that Giroud was good enough to be leading the line under Wenger, pointing to his various goal droughts.
On Tuesday, a major focal point of the match will be Giroud’s battle against Gabriel Magalhaes, a former Lille defender himself.