ARSENAL fans lost their minds seconds after Nicolas Pepe found the back of the net in his return to the Emirates.
The club’s former club-record signing opened the scoring in their pre-season friendly with Villarreal at the Emirates on Wednesday night.
GETTYNicolas Pepe returned to the Emirates for the first time since leaving Arsenal in a pre-season friendly[/caption]
GETTYHe sent scores of the Emirates faithful into meltdown by opening the scoring for Villarreal[/caption]
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Pepe, who was bizarrely booed by sections of the Emirates faithful, opted not to rub it in the noses of the north Londoners.
He refused to celebrate his strike against his former employers, which sent scores of Gunners fans into meltdown.
One wrote on X: “This is hell on earth.”
Another said: “Nicolas Pepe coming back to haunt us, it’s looking rough, boys.”
And another said: “We let Nicolas Pepe score a goal at the Emirates. Such a funny club.”
One remarked: “Nicolas Pepe scores at the Emirates. Villarreal 1 nil up.
“Yes, you read that correctly. It’s 2025.”
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STEVE BARDENSNicolas Pepe joined Arsenal in August 2019 for a then-club-record fee of £72million[/caption]
GETTYBut the Ivorian failed to justify his price tag and left the club in September 2022[/caption]
Footie fans were left stunned by Pepe’s decision not to celebrate his goal.
One wrote on X: “Why is Nicolas Pepe not celebrating a pre-season goal vs Arsenal? Woke nonsense.”
Another said: “Nicolas Pepe scoring and not celebrating in a friendly match hahahaahahah.”
And another said: “Nicolas Pepe Scores Against Arsenal and doesn’t celebrate.
After all that he went through, he really still loves this Club.”
Pepe joined Arsenal in the summer of 2019 from Lille for a then-club-record fee of £72million.
But he failed to justify his price tag and was loaned out to Nice for the 2022/23 season before having his contract terminated a year early in September 2023.
He had a brief stint with Trabzonspor before joining Villarreal on a free transfer last summer.
Villarreal raced into a 2-0 lead in the in the 33rd minute thanks a strike from Karl Etta Eyong.
Gunners newboy Christian Nogaard reduced the deficit three minutes later.
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