Sporting CP star reacts after Gabriel steals celebration in Arsenal thrashing

Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres gave a light-hearted response when asked about Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes stealing his goal celebration during their meeting in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Gabriel was one of five different goalscorers for the visiting Gunners as they surged to a thumping 5-1 victory, with the Brazilian centre-back making it 3-0 before half-time.

The 26-year-old then interlocked his fingers and covered his eyes in an apparent dig towards Gyokeres, though it wasn't quite a perfect match compared to the Sweden international's own unique style.

Speaking about the celebration theft, the in-form striker said after the game: "He's welcome to steal it if he can't create his own celebration!

"I didn't know he did that, but it's fun he likes my celebration."

Gyokeres is a supposed transfer target for Arsenal and it could be awkward if Gabriel is forced to welcome the 26-year-old to north London at some point in the future.

It has also been claimed Gabriel's actions were in retaliation after the two teams' previous meeting in the Europa League in 2023, when Pedro Goncalves celebrated an equaliser at the Emirates Stadium by busting out Granit Xhaka's trademark nose-wiggle. Sporting eventually won that last-16 tie on penalties, but Arsenal got their revenge on Tuesday.

The north Londoners moved above the Portuguese outfit into seventh in the Champions League table as they aim for automatic qualification to the last 16 of the knockout stage. They have three games left against Monaco, Dinamo Zagreb and Girona but Arsenal's next task is a trip to West Ham United on Saturday in the Premier League, where they currently sit nine points behind leaders Liverpool.

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