Viktor Gyokeres was candid after Arsenal's 2-1 loss to Bournemouth and was already focused on what comes next.
On the performance: "We didn't come up to our level throughout the game. I think when we scored to make it 1-1, we felt good as a team. We had some dangerous chances before that, and we wanted to take control of the second half, but maybe we didn't create enough in attack. They didn't create so much either, but they were clinical and they scored on the chances they got."
On the dry pitch controversy: "We had some chances in the end. The pitch was a bit dry, which didn't help." The comments drew criticism from pundits, with Danny Murphy saying on Match of the Day: "If the pitch is dry, you've got international players — make some different decisions."
On looking forward: "We have a lot of important games to come and we need to embrace it and to enjoy playing those games. It's a great game to have in a few days. We just need to recover now, leave this behind and make a very good performance on Wednesday."
On nerves in the run-in: "If you feel nerves, I think it means that it matters to you. It's not bad if you take it in the right way and put that energy in the right direction. To have nerves is not a bad thing. It's just bad if you convert it into something negative, and it depends on how you handle those emotions."
On facing Sporting again: Gyokeres posted on Instagram after the first leg in Lisbon: "Great feeling being back to this special place with a lot of memories. Thanks for the reception — onto the next one." He is ready to go again at the Emirates.
Zubimendi confirmed after the first leg that Gyokeres had briefed the squad on Sporting ahead of the trip to Lisbon: "Before the game, Viktor told us everything — the weather, the atmosphere, and how Sporting plays."
