Arteta Praises Gyokeres As Arsenal Win In Champions League

Gyokeres Stars in Champions League Win

Arsenal forward Viktor Gyokeres delivered a strong performance as the Gunners earned a 2-1 win against Slavia Prague in the Champions League. The Sweden striker, who is 28 years old, set up Noni Madueke for the opening goal in the Czech capital before scoring a stylish second for himself.

Before Wednesday night, Gyokeres had scored just once since joining Arsenal in July 2025. That single goal arrived during a Carabao Cup penalty shoot out defeat at Fleetwood last month. He has largely played behind Kai Havertz this season, but he has now contributed to five goals in his last five appearances.

Arteta Pleased With Striker Performance

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta spoke warmly about Gyokeres after the match, admitting that the forward really needed that performance.

Arteta said he thought Gyokeres was really good and that the match suited the demands of the opponent and the spaces available. The manager added that Gyokeres was really connected to the team and understood when to threaten, calling it great news for the player.

Arteta noted that every player wants to play every game. He stated that players need to impact the match when given an opportunity to show the level they can produce.

Gyokeres Reacts to Prague Display

Gyokeres expressed his delight with the result when speaking to the Arsenal website. He said he felt very good and was happy with the win and contributing to the two goals.

He noted that while the first half gave the team a good feeling, the second half was less satisfying. Gyokeres explained that it is his job as a striker to contribute in every match when on the pitch and to be involved in attacks as much as possible.

He added that Arsenal are in a good spot in both the Champions League and the Premier League, though the squad remains clear on what they need to do to take the next step.

Arsenal Hold On for Three Points

Premier League leaders Arsenal moved up to third position in the Champions League table following the result. However, they had to deal with a late wobble.

Slavia Prague pulled a goal back in the 90th minute through Wiktor Nowak. That late strike meant Arsenal had to defend hard throughout stoppage time to secure the 2-1 victory.