Arsenal played to a 1-1 draw against Como at the Emirates Stadium in a friendly match. The game marked the debut of new signing Bruno Guimaraes, who joined the club for a reported £75m. Guimaraes’s arrival was officially announced on Saturday, and he was introduced to supporters before a friendly against Dortmund on Sunday.
Fans gathered on Wednesday evening to see the Brazilian international in action, though he was introduced at half-time. The opening goal of the match came from Myles Lewis-Skelly. Following this, Martin Baturina scored for Como, levelling the score before Guimaraes entered the game.
Chants of “Bruno” were heard as the new number 39 stepped onto the pitch, with cheers accompanying his first touch. Guimaraes, known for his combative and all-action style, made a recovery tackle to thwart a Como counter-attack, passing the ball to David Raya. This passage of play was met with significant applause from the crowd.
Guimaraes’s Performance and Team Dynamics
Early in his debut, there were indications of a developing partnership between Guimaraes and Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard. Manager Mikel Arteta had opted for an experimental starting lineup, which included five academy graduates. However, around the hour mark, Arteta introduced what was considered his strongest available side, with the upcoming Community Shield match against Manchester City on Sunday in mind.
Initially, Guimaraes played alongside Lewis-Skelly. After Lewis-Skelly was substituted and Mikel Merino and Odegaard came on, Guimaraes shifted to a deeper midfield role. The flow of the match was affected by substitutions and a second-half drinks break. Despite this, Kai Havertz, Noni Madueke, and Cristhian Mosquera all had attempts on goal before the final whistle.
Guimaraes attempted a chipped pass over the Como defence, which Havertz converted, but the goal was disallowed due to an offside call. This type of pass, tried multiple times by the midfielder, suggests he could contribute to Arsenal’s attacking play as the season progresses. His seamless integration into the team, despite it being a friendly, was noted as a reason for his significant transfer fee.
Following the match, a pre-agreed penalty shootout took place. Guimaraes confidently scored his spot-kick, which could provide a boost ahead of Arsenal’s first competitive match of the season on Sunday.
Arteta’s Post-Match Comments and Lewis-Skelly’s Future
During his post-match news conference, Arteta was asked about Guimaraes’s readiness to start against Manchester City. Arteta stated, “Let’s see. He only had three training sessions. But he looked good.” He also mentioned Guimaraes’s eagerness to play, saying, “He was really pushing to play some minutes today. I think he wanted to get his debut and the feeling of playing in front of our fans immediately.” Arteta observed a “really strong connection” and believes Guimaraes “is going to make us better without a doubt.”
There has been speculation surrounding the future of 19-year-old Lewis-Skelly, with reports of interest from Chelsea and Manchester United. Arsenal has denied these reports. Lewis-Skelly made a heart gesture to the crowd after scoring against Como, which was seen by some as a pointed celebration.
When asked about Lewis-Skelly’s goal, Arteta described him as “a very emotional player.” Regarding transfer speculation, Arteta commented, “I am not going to talk about any speculation. If there is any speculation about our players it is a good sign, it means we attract attention and they are doing a good job.” Arteta also discussed the bond between supporters and academy players, noting it is a “natural thing to happen” and has been observed with many other players at the club. Arsenal had prepared for the Como match with a training session that saw the return of England and Spain international players after their post-World Cup break, bringing the squad to full strength for the friendly against Como 1907 at Emirates Stadium.
Source: bbc.com