Mikel Arteta explains Arsenal stars' full-time gesture to 'emotional' team-mate

Gabriel Jesus returned to the pitch for Arsenal in the Champions League victory over Club Brugge after nearly a year of rehabilitation and recovery from another serious knee injury

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has hailed the special moment between Gabriel Jesus and his teammates following his long-awaited return from injury in Wednesday's 3-0 win over Club Brugge.

Jesus came on in the 62nd minute for the Gunners, 11 months after he ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. After the win in Belgium, Jesus was visibly emotional and was greeted with hugs from his teammates.

Asked about the moment, Arteta said: “Yeah, especially when you get injured then everyone reaches out to you, then you get surgery and everyone is fully behind you.

"Then there is a moment when you are alone almost and you have to go through a lot of pain and difficult moments and uncertainty. He’s done that a few times in his career already and he’s shown his mental toughness and how much he loves to play football and we are all delighted to have him back.”

Jesus replaced Max Dowman in Arsenal's UEFA A list with immediate effect this week after the teenager picked up an ankle injury on Saturday. The Brazilian sustained the injury in the FA Cup defeat to Manchester United at the start of the year.

He returned to the squad last month and continued his recovery in a behind-closed-doors friendly. After being named in the matchday squad against Chelsea and Brentford, Jesus returned to the pitch in Belgium.

With the three points in Belgium secured, Jesus had three opportunities to score his first goal in over a year. However, he was denied twice by goalkeeper Dani van de Heuvel and later hit the crossbar.

"So happy for him," Arteta added. "I think you can see how much we all love him. It's been a very, very difficult and long journey. For 11 months, he's been fighting against another very difficult injury, and to see him back with that smile, with that energy and with that quality in his first performance with us is something really impressive, and we're all delighted for him."

The Spaniard added when asked if Jesus can play a big role this season: "Yes, especially if he continues to perform in the manner that he's doing and the energy that he's putting in training. I think he brings something else, and I was really happy to see that.

"And for him as well, for his confidence to grow, for his teammates to feel him as well, because some of them haven't played with him. So Gabi has a really special quality, which is that suddenly he connects everybody around him, and that's something that we as a team need, and it will make us better."