Back to the Arsenal Newsfeed

Pleguezuelo - The story behind my Arsenal debut

What a night for Julio Pleguezuelo, or ‘Pleggy’ to pretty much everyone he encounters.

The Spanish defender was meant to playing in Cheltenham on Tuesday night, but instead he was elevated to the first team for his debut at Emirates Stadium.

And Pleggy did himself proud. Assured on the ball and decisive in his duels, the 21-year-old stood firm when Blackpool threatened to peg us back after Matteo Guendouzi’s red card.

“I was meant to be playing yesterday for the under-21s in the Checkatrade Trophy, but I got a phone call that the first team needed me for training and I literally found out in training that I was starting,” explained Pleggy.