Nicolas Pépé Returns to Emirates, Punishes Arsenal in Pre-Season Defeat

Nicolas Pepe returned to the Emirates with a point to prove and proved it emphatically.

The Ivorian winger, once hailed as Arsenal’s record signing but eventually sidelined and sold, delivered a ruthless reminder of his quality as Villarreal edged past Arsenal 3-2 in a tense pre-season clash. While Mikel Arteta’s men suffered their second consecutive defeat, all eyes were on Pepe who stole the spotlight with a performance soaked in irony.

It took just 16 minutes for Pepe to leave his mark. Capitalising on defensive disarray inside the Arsenal box, the winger pounced on a loose ball to fire Villarreal ahead, celebrating in muted fashion as boos and applause mingled in the air. Just seconds earlier, Pape Gueye had hit the post, but it was Pepe who converted the chaos into a clinical finish.

For Arsenal fans, it was a flash of what could have been.

Dominating the Former Home

Pepe wasn’t just a goalscorer he was Villarreal’s most dangerous outlet all evening. He led the visitors in touches inside the opposition box (4) and shared the most shots on target (2) with Gerard Moreno. The timing couldn’t be more cutting: just as Arsenal seek fresh attacking ideas, their former investment shined in front of their eyes.

Arteta Left Searching

Etta Eyong doubled Villarreal’s lead before Christian Norgaard pulled one back with a well-timed header before the break. However, Villarreal struck back after halftime with a blistering counter-attack, as Arnaut Danjuma raced through to make it 3-1. Martin Ødegaard gave Arsenal hope with a late penalty after Max Dowman was brought down, but the Gunners fell short again.

ALSO READ: Moeen Ali Lauds Mohammed Siraj: “Always Challenging to Face Him”

Despite accumulating 1.78 expected goals (xG) to Villarreal’s 0.98, Arsenal couldn’t convert chances into a result something fans are used to seeing from Pepe during his uneven stint in red and white.

What Arsenal Let Go

Pepe’s 16 goals in 80 Premier League appearances never lived up to the price tag or potential—but against his former side, he offered a glimpse of a more mature, sharper version of himself. Villarreal have given him a new stage, and at least for one night, he played the lead role Arsenal once imagined for him.

As Arteta turns toward Arsenal’s final pre-season test against Athletic Club, the question lingers did the club give up on Pepe too soon?