Olivier Giroud Set for Emotional Arsenal Return with Lille in Champions League

Olivier Giroud will return to the Emirates Stadium with Lille on Tuesday, giving Arsenal a Champions League test against the forward who scored 105 times for the club.

Match facts

Giroud has said leaving Arsenal for Chelsea in January 2018 was a painful but necessary decision as he pursued a place at the World Cup later that year.

The French striker said he needed to move on to secure the football required for the tournament, admitting he was saddened to leave but felt the choice was vital for the next stage of his career. France went on to win the 2018 World Cup.

His Arsenal spell under Arsene Wenger shaped key parts of his game. Giroud credited the daily technical work at the club, including one-touch finishing, quick combinations and link play, for developing him into a reliable focal point who could bring team-mates into attacks.

Mikel Arteta, who shared a dressing room with Giroud in north London, has dismissed the suggestion that the Lille striker was overlooked during his Arsenal years.

Arteta said Giroud always created a major danger in the penalty area, while his intelligence, connections with fellow attackers and work rate made him highly valued within the squad. The Arsenal boss also highlighted the different attacking profile Giroud brought after arriving from Ligue 1 champions Montpellier.

Arsenal must now contain that familiar aerial and physical presence on Tuesday. Lille will look to use Giroud’s box craft and hold-up play, while Arteta’s side are seeking a significant European result before returning to their Premier League title defence.