Gabriel’s Celebration Sparks Clash of Opinions Between Richards and Shearer

Micah Richards warns Arsenal star Gabriel Magalhaes that his goal celebration mocking Viktor Gyokeres will ‘come back to haunt him’.

Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes found himself at the center of a heated debate. During Arsenal’s dominant 5-1 victory over Sporting CP, Gabriel scored a goal and celebrated by mimicking Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres’ signature celebration. This cheeky gesture has sparked contrasting opinions from football pundits.

Former Manchester City star Micah Richards was quick to criticize Gabriel’s decision to mock Gyokeres. Richards, speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, warned that such actions could come back to haunt Gabriel. He emphasized the importance of being the bigger person and avoiding unnecessary provocations. Richards stated, “I don’t quite agree with his Gyokeres celebration. We don’t need to go there, mocking Gyokeres. Be the bigger person.”

On the other hand, Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer was a big fan of Gabriel’s cheeky gesture. Shearer dismissed Richards’ criticism, saying, “Oh, what a load of s***t. Let him do it if he wants to.” Shearer’s stance was that Gabriel should be free to express himself and have fun on the pitch.

Gabriel’s celebration was seen as a playful jab at Sporting CP, who had previously mimicked former Arsenal player Granit Xhaka’s goal celebration during a Europa League match last year. This context added another layer to the debate, with some fans understanding Gabriel’s actions as a form of revenge.