The final whistle blew and the Emirates Stadium exploded. Arsenal advanced to the Champions League final. Mikel Arteta ran onto the pitch and collided with a group of Arsenal players who were jumping up and down.
“I’ve never felt anything like this in a stadium before,” the Arsenal manager said after the match. I had never seen anything like this on this street.
What a difference a few weeks can make! After months of tension that threatened to destabilize Arsenal’s season, the stadium was alive again.
As the team emerged from the tunnel on Tuesday night, they were greeted by a huge flotilla of Tifos, next to the words “Across Land and Sea.”
Arsenal were welcomed by fireworks and a giant tifo during their Champions League semi-final clash against Atletico Madrid
There was a meaning behind it. It was reminiscent of Arteta’s comments in January after the defeat to Manchester United that he needed to ignore the nerves and jump on the “fun boat” of the season. At the time, Emirates was under stress at critical junctures, but Arteta sought a different kind of energy as he navigated the waters.
His call was answered. This time, there were no negative emotions during the tricky moments of the semi-final test against Atlético Madrid. Every tackle, header and winning throw-in was cheered as if it were a goal. For local Arsenal fans, being unconvinced wasn’t a problem for a change of pace.
It’s not just the atmosphere at Arsenal’s stadium that has changed recently. The past 24 hours have been important for everyone involved at the club.
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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was impressed by his players’ performance and the atmosphere at the Emirates in the Champions League semi-final against Atletico Madrid.
First, Manchester City dropped points in the Premier League title race, handing control to the Gunners. And they advanced to the Champions League final for the first time in a generation. There is a fresh new life in Arteta’s Arsenal, so much so that the manager himself has acknowledged it.
Asked about the past 24 hours, specifically the draws between City and Everton, Arteta said: “Everyone feels a change in energy and a belief in everything.” “Let’s use it correctly.”
The wind is blowing in Arsenal’s favor. Things seem to be falling into place at the right time. Not only are fans returning to the team, but key players are returning from injury in time for the best of practice.
Bukayo Saka seems to be a clear example of this, with the Arsenal winger scoring two goals and providing one assist in just over 100 minutes of action in recent days. Riccardo Calafioli has added strength to the defense and will continue to strengthen his creativity.
Bukayo Saka celebrates the goal that put Arsenal ahead on aggregate against Atletico Madrid
Miles Lewis-Skelly brings freshness to a midfield that has suffered from a different kind of fuel starvation recently. And they are also factoring in the return of Martin Odegaard, with Kai Havertz still expected to return properly after missing the last few games.
The team has responded to these small but multiple boosts. Arsenal are not only bigger and stronger in terms of numbers, but also in terms of confidence.
Before the match, Arteta called on Atletico Madrid to make his team a “beast”, and that manifested in a number of ways. Whether it was Declan Rice’s goal-saving challenge in the first half or Gabriel’s two second-half interventions to thwart Atleti’s close-range effort.
Arsenal’s Declan Rice made a goal-saving challenge to deny Atleti early on
Leandro Trossard was an underrated star for the Gunners, recovering the ball 10 times, twice as many as the next best player on the pitch, when tasked with tracking back to thwart Atleti’s big threat in Antoine Griezmann.
But perhaps the man who best sums up Arsenal’s newfound confidence, energy and momentum is Victor Gokeres. The Arsenal striker chased down the Atleti defenders throughout, pulling his team onto the pitch, but at the same time relentlessly chasing down the opposition defenders.
The energy on the ground increased with every run the Arsenal striker made, and Arsenal fans even forgave him for missing the second half.
Victor Gokeres makes a great shift for Arsenal
“He’s not as flashy as some other strikers in the world, but he does all the dirty work,” Wayne Rooney said of Gokeres. “He played a big role in Arsenal winning this game.”
At this point, Arsenal don’t look like a team with holes at the moment. They don’t look like a team lacking a top centre-forward, or making fatal mistakes, or struggling with the final task of getting over the line.
They may not have the eye-catching glamor of Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain or Manchester City, but their steely strength comes through.
Sunday, May 10th 4pm
4:30pm kickoff
This was Arsenal’s 30th clean sheet of the season in all competitions. In this second leg of the Champions League semi-finals, their defense was by no means relaxed. They have conceded just seven goals in 14 European games this season.
This gives them every chance of having a special night in the Budapest final on May 30th and boosting their grasp of the Premier League title race.
“We have the ability and the belief to make sure it happens,” Arteta said of making this season special. That special season could end with two trophies in just three weeks.
What is your opinion…
Sky Sports viewers’ reactions to the match blog that saw Arsenal advance to the Champions League final:
Vic: Maybe we were lucky to lose to Man City in the domestic cup final. Arteta may not be the best manager in the world, but he may soon be the best at what he does. The team needs more of a winner’s mentality right now, to be able to take advantage of opportunities when they arise in games. they have potential.
Strats98: Being close to the coach and growing the team is paying dividends right now!! Other clubs must be taking note…
Simon Fryer: What a performance!! Gokeres gave his best performance in an Arsenal shirt. Rice and Gabriel were excellent, and Lewis-Skelly showed maturity beyond his years. Raya landed some strong punches. All for one person and all left on the pitch. Come to Budapest!!
