Arsenal beat Lille 3-0 in the Champions League last night, with Olivier Giroud coming on as a substitute for the visitors.

The former Gunners striker came on in the 78th minute to a standing ovation from the Emirates faithful, with the game already wrapped up. Whether that reaction would have been as warm had Arsenal still been level or trailing is open to assumption.

Giroud said before the game that the night would be an emotional one for him. He spent six years at Arsenal between 2012 and 2018, scoring 105 goals and winning three FA Cups along the way.

Of course, he then left for Chelsea, and that switch across London, as well as what followed in Baku in 2019, strained the relationship between him and parts of the fanbase. However, Tuesday night suggested all is forgiven, at least among the match-going fans.

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Arsenal get the job done and beat Lille 3-0! What did you make of that performance? 👀

After the final whistle, Mikel Arteta walked onto the pitch and went over to embrace his former Arsenal teammate. In a clip shared from Stan Sport, the two shared a big hug, a laugh and a catch-up. But according to Giroud, it didn’t end there.

Mikel Arteta invited Olivier Giroud into the Arsenal dressing room

Indeed, Giroud told Canal+ after the game that the Arsenal boss invited him into the home dressing room. “It’s the team first and foremost, but as soon as the final whistle blows, I’ve tried to enjoy it and thank the supporters from both sides,” he said.

“I brought back a ton of jerseys, yeah. Mikel told me to come to the locker rooms to enjoy it together. It was awesome, an incredible feeling, special emotions after five years here. They don’t forget — that’s what’s beautiful about the English.”

What actually happened in the dressing room we don’t know, but it would have been a nice moment for Giroud who played 253 games for Arsenal. He scored 105 goals during his time with the North London club, but was unable to add to his tally at the Emirates on Tuesday night.