Bruno Guimaraes Makes His Arsenal Bow in Como Friendly as New Season Looms
Bruno Guimaraes pulled on an Arsenal shirt for the first time on Tuesday night, coming off the bench in a 1-1 friendly draw with Como at the Emirates Stadium.
The Brazilian midfielder, signed from Newcastle United for £75 million on a long-term contract, was introduced as a half-time substitute by manager Mikel Arteta. He wore the number 39 shirt — a nod to his Newcastle days — as he stepped into a side that had started with five academy graduates in the starting XI (BBC Sport).
Myles Lewis-Skelly, one of those academy players, had given Arsenal a first-half lead. Como's Martin Baturina equalised after the break with a well-struck effort that beat the keeper from distance (Arsenal.com).
Around the hour mark, Arteta brought on his strongest available side — a clear signal that competitive business is approaching. Arsenal's first competitive match of the season, the Community Shield against Manchester City, is scheduled for Sunday (BBC Sport).
Once Mikel Merino and Martin Odegaard joined the fray, Guimaraes dropped into the deepest-lying midfield role — the position that sits just in front of the defence, screening attacks and recycling possession. He nearly marked his debut with an assist: a delicately chipped pass found Kai Havertz, whose finish was ruled out for offside.
After full-time, the two teams held a pre-agreed penalty shootout. Guimaraes dispatched his spot-kick confidently. Noni Madueke struck the post with his. Jesus Rodriguez converted to make it 3-3. Arsenal won the shootout 4-3 (Arsenal.com).
For Guimaraes, the evening capped a whirlwind few days. He was officially announced as an Arsenal player on Saturday, then paraded in front of supporters at the Emirates before Sunday's friendly against Borussia Dortmund (BBC Sport). The club also published his first interview on its website and video channel (Arsenal.com).
The 26-year-old brings a formidable résumé. He has won 48 caps for Brazil and, since making his Premier League debut in February 2022, has won more duels — the one-on-one battles for the ball that define midfield contests — than any other player in the division, with 1,030 to his name (Arsenal.com).
Arteta's team selection against Como also featured academy teenagers Theo Julienne and Marli Salmon in the matchday squad, underscoring the manager's willingness to blood young talent alongside big-money arrivals (Arsenal.com).
For Arsenal fans, the Como friendly offered a first glimpse of how Guimaraes fits into Arteta's midfield puzzle. The real test arrives on Sunday, when Manchester City stand across the halfway line at Wembley.
