Bruno Guimaraes delivered a composed display on his Arsenal debut as the north London side drew 1-1 with Como in a friendly at Emirates Stadium.
The £75m arrival from Newcastle United was officially confirmed on Saturday before being presented to supporters ahead of Sunday’s friendly against Dortmund.
Supporters came to Emirates Stadium on Wednesday evening hoping to watch the Brazil international, although his first appearance did not come until the second half.
Myles Lewis-Skelly, whose future has attracted considerable attention amid reported interest from Chelsea and Manchester United, scored the opening goal before the interval.
Como responded through a superb Martin Baturina finish before Guimaraes entered the match.
The crowd welcomed the new number 39 with chants of “Bruno” as he walked onto the field, followed by loud applause when he first received the ball.
Guimaraes, renowned for his energetic and physical approach, halted a Como counter-attack with a recovery challenge before calmly returning possession to David Raya, prompting an enthusiastic response from the stands.
His early exchanges with captain Martin Odegaard also suggested that the pair could form an effective partnership.
Mikel Arteta selected an unfamiliar starting line-up for the fixture, including five players developed through the academy.
Around the hour mark, however, Arteta introduced many of his strongest available players as preparations continued for Sunday’s Community Shield meeting with Manchester City.
Guimaraes initially operated alongside Lewis-Skelly, but after the youngster departed and Mikel Merino and Odegaard came off the bench, the new midfielder moved into the deepest role in the middle of the pitch.
Numerous substitutions and a second-half drinks break disrupted the rhythm of the contest, although Kai Havertz, Noni Madueke and Cristhian Mosquera each created shooting opportunities before full-time.
Guimaraes lifted a pass beyond Como’s back line for Havertz to finish, but the goal was disallowed for offside.
He attempted that type of ball over the defence on several occasions, offering encouragement that his creativity could improve the team’s attacking play once the new campaign begins.
One friendly appearance cannot determine how Guimaraes will fare in north London, but his ability to settle quickly demonstrated why the club invested such a substantial fee in him.
A pre-arranged penalty shootout took place after the final whistle, and Guimaraes confidently converted his attempt to gain further momentum before Sunday’s first competitive fixture of the season.
During his post-match press conference, Arteta was asked whether the midfielder could start against Manchester City.
“We will have to wait and see. He has completed only three training sessions, but he performed well,” Arteta said.
“He was very eager to get some playing time. I believe he wanted to make his debut straight away and experience playing in front of our supporters.
“There was an immediate and powerful connection, and it is clear that he will strengthen our team.”
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