Arsenal faced Atletico Madrid in the second leg of a Champions League semi-final tie at the Emirates Stadium, a home match that carried the club's best chance in years to reach the final for just the second time in its history.
Last week the tie was level after a 1-1 draw in Spain, leaving everything to play for at the Emirates — a stadium hosting its biggest game since Arsenal moved there two decades ago and a night that promised thousands of fans lining Hornsey Road and Benwell Road to welcome the team.
Manager Mikel Arteta, speaking on Monday, tried to channel that scale into focus: "I can't wait," he said. "I feel the energy in and amongst the team, our supporters." He added, "So this is the moment that we want to live together," and reminded supporters of the work the club has put in to get back to this stage: "We have a lot of work as a club, as a team, after 20 years to be in this position again."
Arsenal had home advantage for the second leg and coordinated with supporter group REDaction Gooners to build a bouncing atmosphere inside and outside the stadium. A 'Greet the Team' event was planned ahead of kick-off, with supporters encouraged to welcome the squad and to gather from around 5.45pm as the two team coaches were scheduled to travel along Hornsey Road and Benwell Road in front of The Armoury and arrive before 6.30pm.
Context matters: Arsenal have reached the Champions League final only once before, so a win at the Emirates would send them to that stage for just the second time in club history. The club has leaned into that rarity — and into the stadium's two-decade history — to frame the match as a defining moment for players and supporters alike, a fact Arteta reiterated when he said, "And we are so hungry to get the game that we want tomorrow and go through to that final."
There was a practical tension on the streets around the ground. On Tuesday morning the flowers and memorials on Bear Roundabout were removed and were to be stored elsewhere before being returned on Wednesday morning, even as the Ashburton Army were expected to have a drummer on Bear Roundabout during the build-up. The removal and temporary storage of those memorials sits awkwardly next to a plan that asked thousands to gather at the same site to cheer the team.
Organizers asked supporters to line the approach routes in their thousands and to ensure the welcome for the players was loud and visible. "Let's live this together and let's make it happen," Arteta said on Monday, folding the players and fans into the same imperative; if the plan succeeds on the pitch, Arsenal will reach the Champions League final for just the second time in the club's history.
