Heroic Gunners

It’s heartbreak that we lost yesterday in the finals.

In a game as big as a Champions League final we played for 72 minutes with ten men after Jens Lehman was red carded as early as the 18 minute. Jens had to come off and Almunia replaced him while Pires -who seems to have played his last match for Arsenal yesterday - had to make way for Almunia.

But in spite of being one man down we took the lead in the 37 minute through a brilliant Sol header to a free kick from Henry after Eboue was fouled on the right hand side by Puyol. Even before the lead Barcelona couldn’t impose themselves upon us. We managed the deficit in number of players very bravely and didn’t gave anything.

We could have taken the lead within two minutes through Henry. Eboue passed the ball to Henry in the area and Henry with one deft touch freed himself of Marquez but when he should have scored from so near his shot was saved by Valdes, the Catalan goalkeeper. In such epic finales chances come at a premium and are to be taken whenever they come. This was the first that Henry wasted.

But the sending off had certainly ruined the game as a spectacular and prevented the game to turn into as big a thrilling encounter as much it was pitted to be. We had to foray very cautiously and after the red card our focus shifted naturally form attacking to defend first and surge ahead on the counter. A player less when playing against a team like Barcelona meant we were deprived of that attacking flow of play which we are capable off and that could have seen us win this game.

In first half stoppage time Barcelona came close to equalize through Eto who after receiving a pass with Sol at his back spurned quickly enough to beat Sol Campbell and struck a vicious shot which had it not been for a wonderful reflexive save from Almunia was destined to meet the back of the net. That was a sigh of relief!

Barcelona kept going after we took the lead but we seemed to absorb their pressure well especially the likes of Ronaldinho and Eto were taken well care of. It was to remain so until the 76th minute when Barcelona leveled through Eto. He got behind our back four and when left with only Almunia to beat he put the ball in Almunia’s right post. Though the Gunners claimed offside but the goal stood and Barcelona had equalized.

Things could have been otherwise if just six minutes before Barcelona equalized, Henry had not squandered his second chance of the night and put the game beyond the reach of already trailing Barcelona. Hleb sent Henry clear on the right side and from where he had a clear sight of the goal he took a weak low shot which was too close for Valdes who dived to his right and averted the ball to safety.

Soon they took a lead. Four minutes after Barca equalized, Larson fed the ball past Ashley Cole to the on rushing substitute Juliano Belletti on the right and Belletti took a shot that met a deflection from Almunia’s legs before the ball settled into the net.

It was 2-1 to Barcelona in the 80th minute and too much for us to battle against with ten men. We couldn’t come back into the game from there onwards and the match ended with Barcelona emerging victorious.

Our dreams are shattered and it’s obviously hard for us to take this defeat but we are indeed very proud of our brave performance. Barcelona were made to be such a great side before the pre-match hype that it seemed that they had only to turn up for the game. But that was not the case to be. We didn’t let lose our hopes when reduced to ten instead kept fighting and eventually took the lead. That says lots and lots about us. Fairly speaking Ronaldinho was supposed to be the difference tonight but what he did. We managed to keep him pretty low which is a huge credit to us.

Yet playing with ten men, against a side as capable as Barcelona who had a referee who kept making decisions in their favor was a difficult task. It just goes to show our spirits and determination. But we have gained a lot from this final and from the whole Champions League season this year. We are confident that we shall be back next year.

However disheartened we maybe but one can’t deny that Barcelona are a truly great side. If not the victory they truly deserve their position as worthy finalists.

Congratulations to Barcelona!!

It was a heroic effort by The Gunners. And it won’t be long enough before we are back!