Football fans have taken to Twitter to react to a superb moment during Brentford vs Arsenal, with Bukayo Saka having been clapped onto the field by every supporter in the ground.
Saka received a similar reception at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium during the Mind Series’ North London Derby, with the teenager having face vile racist abuse on social media after missing the decisive England penalty in the Euro 2020 final.
The Arsenal winger was left among the substitutes at Brentford this evening as he continues to work on his match fitness, and while he’d no doubt have liked to have been involved from the beginning, it did inadvertently provide him with a quite wonderful moment after being brought into the action.
Saka received a standing ovation as he entered the field of play as a substitute, with virtually the entire stadium getting to their feet to clap him onto the field. It was a moment which received as warm a reception from football Twitter as Saka got himself.
That really is a beautiful reception for @BukayoSaka87 from the @BrentfordFC fans. Well played.
— Gary Lineker ? (@GaryLineker) August 13, 2021
Wow. That was quite something. A rousing prolonged standing ovation from Brentford fans for #Saka when he came on – what a stunningly emphatic repudiation of racism. #BREARS ??? pic.twitter.com/fvl2UlIznj
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) August 13, 2021
Bukayo Saka gets a standing ovation from the Brentford fans.
Hate will never win ?? pic.twitter.com/TbnGeAUE7H
— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) August 13, 2021
Loud applause and cheers for Bukayo Saka from Brentford fans as well as Arsenal’s as the England player, racially abused after missing his penalty in the Euros final, comes on.
— Henry Winter (@henrywinter) August 13, 2021
Just as at Spurs in last weekend’s friendly, Bukayo Saka is applauded by the opposing fans as he comes on. Classy from Brentford. And Gareth Southgate is here in the stands to witness it too.
— James Olley (@JamesOlley) August 13, 2021
Brilliant that @BrentfordFC fans applaud Saka when he comes on.
— Simon Stone (@sistoney67) August 13, 2021
Football can be so divisive, so it really is excellent to see fans putting their allegiances aside and getting behind a young man who has endured a really tough few months. The football itself aside, this was an excellent way to kick-off the new Premier League campaign.