A first Champions League final in 20 years is within touching distance, but a difficult tie is not over yet
M
ikel Arteta can be forgiven for never missing the chance to remind everyone that these are unprecedented times for Arsenal. As his side prepares to face Atlético Madrid in the decisive act of their second successive Champions League semi-final, it is easy to forget that they have only reached this stage on four occasions in their entire history.
But 20 years after Arsène Wenger’s team edged past Villarreal in the last European match to be played at Highbury, Arsenal have their best opportunity since then to reach a second final after a campaign where they have swept all before them. The 1-1 draw in last week’s first leg in Madrid made it 13 matches unbeaten in this year’s Champions League – the only club to have achieved that feat – and also matched Wenger’s longest run without a defeat in Europe’s premier competition.
That was ended by Barcelona in the 2006 final at the Stade de France after Sol Campbell gave Arsenal an early lead, an occasion that remains the closest they have come to lifting the famous old trophy. Yet even with the daunting prospect of facing the winners of the Bayern Munich v Paris Saint-Germain tie in Budapest later this month if they can get past battle-hardened Atlético, Arteta has reason to feel optimistic. Bukayo Saka’s sensational return to form against Fulham on Saturday has reignited their Premier League title challenge, with a first trophy since the FA Cup in 2020 now within tantalising reach.
