Thierry Henry praised Bukayo Saka’s efforts to battle back from injury after his goal helped fire Arsenal to their first Champions League final in 20 years.
Saka has had his minutes rigorously managed over the past week after coming back from an Achilles injury, which ruled him out for the previous five matches.
The Arsenal winger was devastating against Fulham on the weekend when back within the starting lineup, and produced the products again on Tuesday night against Atletico Madrid.
Saka made way just before the hour mark, having scored before half-time, with the Gunners holding on to secure a 2-1 aggregate win and place in the ultimate later this month.
And Henry was quick to praise Saka post-match, revealing that the winger has spoken about his determination to get back to full fitness when the pair spoke over the past week.
Speaking on CBS, Henry said: ‘I might like to see if we are able to speak to Bukayo because I need him to clarify to those that being a footballer will not be a lot all the time concerning the glamorous time.
‘He’s been questioned all season. Can he be the guy? Is he not the guy? Is he the star boy? Is he not the star boy? Is he higher than him or not higher than him? Today he needed to play with barely training. I do know he’s suffering along with his Achilles tendon.
‘He got here back, I spoke to him and he got here back and was like: ‘I’ve got to be on the pitch. I’ve got to be on the pitch against Fulham. I even have to be. It’s do or die’.
‘So you will have to offer those guys numerous credit. Sometimes we take it with no consideration. All of us played through injuries. All of us played with moments where you’re not 100 per cent and he needed to do it, deliver it for Arsenal.’
Henry was also keen to praise the performance of Viktor Gyokeres, who missed his golden opportunity within the second half but otherwise ran Atletico’s defence ragged on the Emirates.
‘If I take the instance of Gyokeres, the jury was out on him,’ he added. ‘It’s not a foul thing. Embrace it. Attempt to prove people flawed. Tonight he did.
‘Not only tonight, within the last month, I’ll give him his credit. He’s running, he looks solid and a bit more like a number nine you could be frightened of.
‘What I like is also the best way they appear for him early – play to the strength of the guy because if not, I’m going to see his weaknesses as an alternative of seeing his strong points.
‘Now, due to the best way they utilise him, I can see what he’s good at and what he’s not good at. It’s a difference. The guy feels more comfortable to make the run where he’s going to excel and never going to see his weakness.’
A jubilant Mikel Arteta was equally impressed with the performances of Gyokeres within the second leg, telling Amazon Prime: ‘He [Gyokeres] was immense. You possibly can see the response from the group each time he has the ball, his work rate and what he’s giving the team is just incredible.’
On Saka’s winning goal, the Spanish coach added: ‘It needed to be someone very special and definitely he may be very special with me and the boys and everybody attached with this club. If it needed to be someone scoring that goal, it probably needed to be him.’
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