It was Paris in the springtime. The Champions League final of 2006, and all was set up perfectly for Arsène Wenger, Thierry Henry and Arsenal – an English club with a French accent – to win their first European Cup in what had been their final year at Highbury. Then it all went wrong.
Goalkeeper Jens Lehmann was sent off just 18 minutes into the final for bringing down Barcelona’s Samuel Eto’o, and despite Sol Campbell’s thumping header giving the 10 men the lead, goals from Eto’o and unlikely hero Juliano Belletti gave Barca the giant trophy. Arsenal were devastated.
Four years on, they’ve been handed their chance for revenge. The draw for this year’s quarter-finals has handed the Gunners the task of facing the Catalan giants once more. Much has changed since 2006 of course – Henry plays for the other team, Cesc Fabregas’ influence has grown and grown, and Lionel Messi, in 2006 an injured 18-year-old who missed out on making the bench for the final, has become the best footballer in the world – and Wenger knows the size of the task ahead.
It will be a treat, a spectacular occasion, a feast for the eyes, but Arsenal will find it tough.
Barça barely gave Manchester United a kick in last season’s final, and anyone who saw their second-round demolition of Stuttgart this time around would tell you that not much has changed. Arsenal will play their slick, passing football in both ties, but Barça are simply better than them at it, and in Messi possess a truly astounding talent, and he’s not the only one.
Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Henry. The names trip off the tongue, and the tournament favourites have shown on several occasions this season just how gifted they are. If Arsenal are to take their place in just their second ever final in Madrid on May 22nd then they’ll have to produce something special, particularly with the second leg being at the Nou Camp.
It was there 11 years ago that Champions League final history was made. Manchester United substitutes Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer climbed off the bench to win their side a dramatic final against Bayern Munich in stoppage time.
The two sides have met since, Bayern’s win over United in the quarter-finals in 2001 prompted a furious blast from Roy Keane – how out of character – that many saw as the beginning of the end of his Old Trafford career. United will be favourites this time, but will have to be wary of the likes of Arjen Robben, Franck Ribery and Miroslav Klose if they want to progress. Should they do so, a semi-final against Lyon or Bordeaux points to a third consecutive final appearance. The road is open for them.
Which is more than you can say about Arsenal, who have a tricky, Barcelona-sized road block to pass. Do it, and they can rightly be proud of themselves.
It might look Messi, but it could be glorious.
Revenge is a dish best served cold.
Champions League quarter final draw:
Lyon v Bordeaux
Bayern Munich v Manchester United
Arsenal v Barcelona
Inter Milan v CSKA Moscow
Champions League semi-final draw:
Inter/CSKA v Arsenal/Barcelona
Bayern/Man Utd v Lyon/Bordeaux
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