Giroud sits on the bench against Arsenal, but emotion prevails

On Tuesday evening, the Champions League offers Olivier Giroud an emotionally charged encounter: opposite his former club Arsenal, he will relive the Emirates Stadium in the LOSC shirt, but he will have to take his place on the bench from the kickoff.

Tactical choice and competition up front

After starting against Le Havre in Ligue 1 on Saturday, the number nine realized that the coach would favor Ayase Ueda for the clash against the Gunners. The Japanese player will occupy the front line, supported by Haraldsson, Bakwa and Perrin, while Giroud will remain the experienced super‑sub.

During the international break, Giroud expressed his desire to play: “Yes, I want to play against Arsenal!” He added that the coach talked about lining them both up, but that the last three matches had seen him on the bench, highlighting his impatience with humour.

An emotional priority for the veteran

Present at the press conference the day before the duel, the veteran recalled that returning to the Emirates was “something I wanted” from the draw, noting that he had dreamed of this moment for a long time.

Lille struggles to penetrate Emirates despite Arsenal domination

He also stated that, even though he could not quantify the chances, Lille must be at its best level to hope to beat Arsenal, a team he describes as “very beautiful” and “full of ambition.”

Lille, qualified after an opening defeat against Betis Sevilla, sees this match as an opportunity to restart its tally. Facing an Arsenal armada led by Mikel Arteta, with Gyökeres, Saka and Ödegaard in form, the Dogues position themselves as a determined challenger.

Giroud emotional return to Emirates Stadium ahead of Arsenal‑Lille

Giroud, aware of the history that often favours former Emirates heroes, is preparing to intervene in the second half, hoping that his experience can swing the result in favour of LOSC.