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Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka has reflected on a heart-touching moment following the victory over Brentford, admitting that he never thought he would be received so warmly by the traveling fans.
In November 2019, then-Arsenal captain Xhaka was jeered off the pitch in a 2-2 draw at home against Crystal Palace. Xhaka took his shirt while coming off and told Gunners supporters to "f**k off" (via talkSPORT). In the aftermath of the incident, Xhaka was stripped of his armband.
On Sunday (September 18), Xhaka was handed the armband in the absence of current club captain Martin Odegaard. The Switzerland international led the team by example, producing a dominant display to help them to a 3-0 win at Brentford. After the match, the visitors went to thank their traveling fans, Xhaka included. Fans unmistakably sang his name, overwhelming Xhaka with gratitude.
Looking back on the special moment, the Swiss midfielder said (via the Mirror):
“I never, ever was thinking this would happen.
“To be in front of them [the travelling fans] then was very emotional. Absolutely, after what happened three years ago? To be in front of this team means a lot to me.”
Xhaka has been one of Arsenal’s best players this season, pitching in with one goal and three assists in seven Premier League matches this season.
Granit Xhaka claims a lot of stuff is “very different” at Arsenal
Mikel Arteta’s side narrowly missed out on Champions League qualification last season, surrendering their fourth spot to Tottenham Hotspur (Spurs finished two points ahead). The Emirates outfit look a lot more settled this season and should easily nick a top-four finish if they maintain their current form.
Reflecting on his team’s performances, Xhaka claimed that there was a lot of difference between last year’s team and this year’s. He added (via the aforementioned Mirror report):
“When you see us one year ago and you see us today, it's a big, big difference.
“I think we deserved it [the victory] from the first minute today, we could have scored after one minute with [Gabriel] Martinelli and they didn't have one chance until 70 or 80 minutes. It's a process of learning and a process of mentality. A lot of stuff is very different.”
With 18 points from seven games (6 wins, 1 defeat), Arsenal currently find themselves at the top of the Premier League table. They will take on Tottenham Hotspur in their next Premier League outing on October 1.
