Granit Xhaka is set to face Arsenal in a competitive fixture for the first time since leaving the North London club.
Arsenal travel to Sunderland to take on Regis Le Bris’ side at the Stadium of Light on Saturday evening, looking to consolidate their position at the top of the Premier League.
Xhaka will captain the high-flying Black Cats against his former team, as the north-east outfit aspire to retain their place in the top four.
The Swiss midfielder played against the Gunners for Bayer Leverkusen in a pre-season friendly last summer, but this will be his first meeting with his old employers that means something, since he departed in 2023.
Granit Xhaka reveals whether he’d celebrate if he scores against Arsenal on Saturday
Xhaka made 297 appearances for Arsenal between 2016 and 2023.
After a turbulent few years in which he was vilified by his own supporters and the media, the midfield metronome enjoyed an excellent final two seasons at the Emirates before leaving as a cult hero.
Joining Sunderland in the summer, he’ll now have an opportunity to play against the club he was associated with for so long.
Xhaka has been outstanding for the newly promoted side, and stopping him will be key to Arsenal’s success in this clash.
Speaking to Stan Sport Football before the encounter on Wearside, the 33-year-old revealed that he won’t celebrate if he finds the back of the net against Mikel Arteta’s team.
“I will not celebrate, for sure not,” he said.
“It’s normal that you have a lot of emotions in the dressing room. I had seven years in this football club, where I had great times, with all the respect I have for this club.
“To beat Arsenal is a big, big, big thing – even more with how they are at the moment, very strong, very good team. Let’s see what happens.
“We are looking forward to this game and just getting step by step the things done that we need to improve, and where we need to be very, very good.”
Granit Xhaka has changed so much in recent years
Xhaka used to be known for his ill-discipline and hot-headedness.
This was reflected in the infamous incident he was involved in at the Emirates in a game against Crystal Palace, when he and the Gunners fans enraged each other as he was substituted.
This was a rock-bottom moment for the player, and few would be capable of coming back from it. However, Xhaka turned things around at Arsenal, and went on to leave as an adored figure by the Emirates crowd.
In recent years, he has gone from something of a liability to a solid and stable midfield presence, who leads the teams he plays for on and off the pitch.
There would’ve been a time when he would’ve relished the opportunity to knee slide in front of Arsenal fans after scoring against them. Now, there’s a mutual respect between him and the club, and he has the maturity to not even consider such an action.
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