Viktor Gyokeres: eyes on the prize for Arsenal as he reveals his penalty technique

“He was very good on Saturday,” Gyokeres said. “When he’s in that form, it’s amazing for me and for all of us. The most important thing is to know your role and adapt to the system we play, then just be myself and be at my best.”

That emphasis on clarity extends to his approach in high-pressure moments. His penalty in Madrid continued a long-standing record of success from the spot, stretching across 27 matches for club and country.

“Just don’t try to think too much,” he said when asked about his process.

Whether the tie progresses to penalties remains an open question. Gyokeres declined to elaborate on Arsenal’s preparation in that scenario, offering only a brief “no comment”.

Preparation of a different kind comes daily in training, where he regularly faces Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba.

“I don’t think you can get any better centre-backs than what we have,” he said. “It’s great to train against them. They’re incredible players.”

The collective nature of Arsenal’s progress this season is a recurring theme in Gyokeres’ reflections. He highlighted both performance levels and squad cohesion as factors behind their current position.

“We are in this position for a reason we’ve done very well throughout the season,” he said. “But now everything matters in these games. It’s about doing well in them to get us over the line.”

That message aligns with the tone set by manager Mikel Arteta throughout the campaign: resilience, repetition and response to setbacks. Gyokeres acknowledged those demands when discussing how he handles scrutiny and inconsistency.

“In football you have to keep going, no matter what happens,” he said. “There are so many games and always challenges. You have to deal with them and do better in the next game.”

Arsenal return to the Emirates Stadium with the tie finely balanced and the margin for error reduced. For Gyokeres, the emphasis remains unchanged – time to be a part of history.

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