Noni Madueke’s first return to Chelsea as an Arsenal player didn’t exactly go smoothly.
The winger was met with a wave of boos from his former teammates and supporters at Stamford Bridge, reminding him of the fiery rivalry that now separates him from the club where he once starred.
From Chelsea Regular to Arsenal Rival
Madueke spent two seasons at Chelsea after moving from PSV Eindhoven, making 92 appearances and contributing 20 goals and nine assists.
During his time at the Blues, he was a key figure in their Conference League triumph and even played a role in part of the Club World Cup campaign from the bench.
This summer, the 23-year-old made a high-profile £52million switch to London rivals Arsenal, sparking protests from Gunners supporters at the time of the move.
A Sub in a Heated London Derby
Madueke stepped onto Stamford Bridge in the 57th minute of Sunday’s Premier League clash, replacing Gabriel Martinelli.
By then, the derby atmosphere was already intense — Chelsea had been reduced to ten men after Moises Caicedo was shown a straight red card for a reckless challenge on Mikel Merino.
As Madueke entered, he was met with loud boos from the home fans, signaling that his departure to Arsenal was still fresh in the memory.
Teammate Reactions and Social Media Buzz
While the boos rained down, Cole Palmer, warming up as a substitute, appeared to support Madueke, nodding in acknowledgment of the reception his England teammate received.
The duo share a long-standing friendship that dates back to their England youth days, with Palmer previously calling Madueke his “brother” and offering support when he moved to Arsenal.
On-Pitch Clash and Chelsea Celebrations
Madueke’s afternoon wasn’t without drama on the field.
He was dispossessed by Enzo Fernandez near the Chelsea box, falling to the turf as Fernandez and Marc Cucurella celebrated the clearance in his direction.
Despite this, the match ended in a 1-1 draw, with Trevoh Chalobah’s opener for Chelsea canceled out by Merino’s header.
Chelsea, playing with ten men, secured a hard-earned point against the league leaders, while Arsenal maintained a six-point lead.
The result pushed Chelsea down to third after Manchester City’s win over Leeds on Saturday.
Post-Match Respect Amid Rivalry
Interestingly, the hostility appeared limited to the pitch.
After the final whistle, Chelsea captain Reece James embraced Madueke, while Gusto and Wesley Fofana were also seen greeting the Arsenal star.
Madueke’s Road Back from Injury
Sunday’s fixture marked another step in Madueke’s comeback following a knee injury that sidelined him for 11 Arsenal matches.
The winger has made nine appearances so far this season and scored his first goal for the club in their midweek 3-1 win over Bayern Munich.
Madueke’s journey back to full fitness and form continues, and while Stamford Bridge may have been a tough welcome, his focus now shifts to making an impact for Arsenal in the Premier League and beyond.
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