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While Mikel Arteta rallied his men from the touchline, his fellow 41-year-old was on the pitch trying to end Arsenal’s Champions League dream.
If this is Pepe’s last season, he bows out with warrior status in tow. The Porto centre back, who is remarkably the first outfield player over the age of 40 to play in this competition, has never really cared about opinion.
His long catalogue of infringements, which includes stamping on Lionel Messi’s hand in the 2012 El Clasico, says as much.
In the first half alone last night, the three-time Champions League winner showed both excellence and fragility in two key moments.
On 29 minutes Ben White’s looping cross surpassed goalkeeper Diogo Costa in the air. Pepe was there on the line to glance the ball wide, whacking his arm on a post in the process.
A clearance of the quality expected from him. Though later in the half, as Leandro Trossard darted in the box, he failed to close the forward down, not getting to his man quick enough. He really should have, Trossard capitalising to score.
Despite this, his wider performance had moments of shine. He still has some engine on him, as seen on eight minutes as he pedalled back with Trossard, 12 years his junior, on his tail.
He was, as ever, a threat in the opposition box aerially from set-pieces. There were a couple of headed flick-ons which his Porto team-mates could have produced more from.
It all led to the same conclusion: there is still more life in Pepe yet.
Yes, the bad and ugly have often reared their heads in this two-decade long career but as Martin Odegaard said on Monday about his former Real Madrid team-mate: ‘What he’s doing at that age… a lot of respect (to him)’.
Whatever is next, the veteran’s career is one which many would envy.
Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
