Olivier Giroud Expects Emotional Montpellier Return

Sunday, 16th September, 2012

Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud knows he is in for an emotional night when the Gunners play his former club Montpellier on Tuesday evening.

The Gunners have been drawn in the same Champions League group as Giroud’s former employers and are set to kick off their campaign with a trip to the Stade de la Mosson.

For Giroud it represents a quick return to France and the club he left in the summer to link up with Arsene Wenger’s men.

"It is weird. Somewhere fate wants it, but I think it’s a good thing", Giroud told French radio station RMC.

"It will be something very emotional for me. I spent two beautiful seasons there that will be forever etched in my memory.

"We’ll see how it does, but it will pull on the heartstrings, though I’ll put my feelings aside for 90 minutes and do the job."

Arsenal start the clash as heavy favourites, especially given their impressive 6-1 drubbing of Southampton in the Premier League yesterday.

Montpellier meanwhile have had a mixed opening to the season and lost away to newly promoted Reims in Ligue 1 in their most recent match, going down 3-1 on Friday.