Back in 2006, during Arsenal’s last season at their old Highbury Stadium, Arsenal went on an amazing Champions League run and made the final against Ronaldinho’s Barcelona in Paris, France.
The road to the final for the Thierry Henry captained Arsenal team had some memorable victories, the best one being the 1-0 win over a star studded Real Madrid side at the Santiago Bernabeu. Theirry Henry skipping past five Real Madrid players including Ronaldo and Beckham befoe slotting the ball past a helpless Iker Casillas. Arsenal did not concede a single goal in the entire knockout stages with a defense that had Flamini and Emmanuel Eboue in it!
The Final was held on a Wednesday, Arsenal were in their away yellow Kit with Barcelona in their usual red home kits. Arsenal should have been a goal up inside the first five minutes when an Eboue cutback found Henry who turned sharply and was one on one with the Victor Valdes but he missed! Not many would have known this but Thierry Henry never scored a goal for Arsenal in any final during his 8 years stay at the club.
Arsene Wenger’s and his Arsenal players would suffer just 20 minutes into the match when German goalkeeper Jens Lenhman was sent off after a foul on Samuel Etoo just outside the box. Manuel Almunia replaced Robert Pires and went in goal and Arsenal were forced to play ten men against a Barcelona team that had Deco, Ronaldinho, Etoo and Andres Iniesta.
Against all odds however, the Gunners scored first when a Theirry Henry freekick was thumped in by English defender Sol Campbell to give them hope of achieving the impossible. The match would then turn into attack against defence as Arsenal sat back and invited Barcelona to attack while they hit them on the counter.
They should have had a second when Theirry Henry was sent through on goal but the French man hit the ball straight at Valdes one more, that was the chance to seal the deal for the Gunners. Moments later, Samuel Etoo arrived on the left wing and calmly slotted the ball past Manuel Almunia to level the scores and with 8 minutes to go, Barcelona won it when right back Juliano Beletti fired a shot past the helpless Almunia, much to Arsene Wenger’s despair.
It should have been the best night for any Arsenal fan but turned out t be a nightmare in the end. Arsenal have never made it to anther Champions League final but when they do, they better not lose again! Below is the highlights video from the match, Arsenal fans should try watching it without shedding a tear…