Fabio Vieira feels that the never-say-die spirit in our squad came to the fore to help us beat Manchester City and claim the 2023 Community Shield.
The Portuguese midfielder was coolness personified as he stepped up to take the winning penalty in the shootout, after we had netted in the 11th minute of second-half stoppage time through Leandro Trossard to grab a 1-1 draw at Wembley.
And he was delighted that we never gave up the chance to seize a piece of silverware, and claim a moral-boosting win heading into the new season.
Speaking about his emotions post-match, he said: “It feels great. It’s my first trophy for this club, and I’m very happy to win this trophy. It’s time to rest and enjoy it.
“We are a team that will always believe it’s possible to score until the final [minute], and we believe altogether that we would score. Then in the penalties, we were better.
“It was a very good moment for me in front of our fans. We have a new season ahead, it will be very difficult and we need to be together with the fans and the players, and then we go for it.”
In the shootout, when Kevin de Bruyne hit the crossbar and Aaron Ramsdale saved from Rodri, it allowed Fabio the opportunity to step up and win the famous trophy.
He admitted that while there were some nerves as he stepped up to the spot in front of all our Gooners, he was delighted to seal the win for him, and his teammates.
“To be fair, you always feel a bit of nervousness but it’s normal,” he added. “You have to stay calm and that’s what I did. I just scored the penalty and was very happy to win and to help.
“It’s amazing. It’s my first time playing at Wembley, it’s an amazing stadium and as I said I’m very happy, and the win is the most important thing. I’m here to help the team. We have a long season ahead, and I need to focus and help the team. That’s what I have to do.”
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