Giroud benched for the clash with Arsenal at the Emirates

On Tuesday evening, the Champions League gives Olivier Giroud a tasty encounter: facing his former club Arsenal while wearing the LOSC jersey, he will step onto the Emirates Stadium pitch again, a venue he knows like the back of his hand, but he will have to stay on the bench from the kickoff.

The LOSC's tactical choice

After starting against Le Havre in Ligue 1 on Saturday, the number 9 understood that the coach would favor Ayase Ueda for the clash against the Gunners. During the international break, Giroud had expressed on the bench his desire to play: "Yes, I want to play against Arsenal!" but he ultimately accepted the staff’s decision.

Present at the press conference the day before the match, the veteran striker reminded that returning to the Emirates had been a priority since the draw. He said: "It was something I wanted, knowing that we had qualified for the Champions League. I’m very lucky."

Stakes for LOSC and the role of super‑sub

Facing an Arsenal armada led by Mikel Arteta, with Gyökeres, Saka and Ødegaard in form, LOSC positions itself as a challenger, eager to get its meter moving after the defeat to Betis Sevilla.

Giroud, aware of his role as an experienced super‑sub, said he could not quantify his chances, but that LOSC needed to be at its best to hope to win. He added that the team would arrive with humility and the desire to upset the Gunners.

Lille’s lineup puts Ueda up front, supported by Haraldsson, Bakwa and Perrin, while Giroud awaits his entry to try to turn the match around, recalling that history often grants a happy ending to former Emirates heroes.