'Tremendous mistake': £85m player has nightmare at Euro 2024 weeks after being linked with Arsenal move
06/27/2024 03:15 AM
As the Euro 2024 group stages drew to a dramatic climax, a player who has been linked with a big-money move to Arsenal endured a night to forget on the grandest stage.
Georgia’s 2-0 win against Portugal at the Veltins-Arena in Gelsenkirchen saw them secure a place in the knockout stages of Euro 2024 as they finished third in Group F on four points.
Roberto Martinez made wholesale changes to his as he opted to give his fringe players a chance of making an impression. One such player was Antonio Silva, who was deployed as a right-sided central defender in a 3-4-3.
Starting alongside Danilo Pereira and Goncalo Inacio, the 21-year-old Arsenal target immediately started on the backfoot as his poor back pass led to a swift counter attack which was finished off emphatically by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in just the second minute.
Silva was once again to blame in the second half as he conceded a penalty which was calmly dispatched by the impressive Georges Mikautadze.
Arsenal target Antonio Silva endures night to forget for Portugal
Silva, who has been linked with an £85m move to Arsenal, didn’t cover himself in too much glory with his performance as he was withdrawn in the 66th minute for Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Nelson Semedo. Here’s how the Portuguese media reacted to his error-strewn display.
Portuguese news outlet A Bola gave him a measly 3/10 rating, highlight his big error in Portugal’s shock defeat. They said: “Tremendous mistake in the second minute which led to a goal for Georgia. What crossed his mind to make that pass to Kvaratskhelia, who, equipped with high speed, completed the move successfully to make it 1-0?
“He apologised to his teammates, but again missed a clearance in a move in which he conceded a penalty. He left at 66', without glory.”
Jornal de Noticias, one of the oldest daily newspapers in Portugal, claimed he endured a a torrid time, highlighting Martinez’s stubbornness to line up with three at the back. They said: “A game to forget for António Silva, with two errors that resulted in two goals. Martínez was stubborn, insisting on the three central players until the end.”
Could Silva still join Arsenal?
Silva endured one of the toughest nights of his young career so far, but if Arsenal really want the player, their pursuit is unlikely to be dettered by 66 minutes of football in what eventually turned out to be an inconsequential defeat for Portugal as they ended up topping Group F anyway.
With Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba, Arsenal already boast two top-class central defenders, while the likes of Jakub Kiwior, Jurrien Timber and Ben White can also fill in at the heart of the backline if the situation calls for it.
Silva’s £85m price tag could, therefore, prove to be a stumbling block for Arsenal, but time will tell if they decide to intensify their pursuit of the Benfica defender.
