A record number of Ballers and no Fallers because Arsenal are Champions League finalists!
I’ve got nothing particularly creative to say here, really. I don’t have any stories from my life that I think are worth telling right now. I don’t have any clever metaphors (at least, I hope they’re clever) to lead with before I give my thoughts on certain players.
All I can manage to convey is that I’m just so proud of this Arsenal team.
I grew up at a time when the Gunners played very pretty football, but displayed moments of unseriousness on a fairly regular basis. And I don’t say that to have a dig at Arsène Wenger, who rightfully remains the greatest manager in Arsenal’s history and a man who changed English football forever. But it’s the truth — the late 2000s and 2010s featured both lovely attacking moves and calamitous lapses in composure. That period also featured scandals; captain after captain departed the club in less-than-flattering circumstances, players were caught behaving unprofessionally off the pitch, and plenty embarrassed themselves on the pitch as well.
The result was a banter era that I and so many others had to contend with during our formative years. For me personally, that meant regularly fielding mockery from Manchester United and Chelsea fans in high school and college. It meant watching other teams, including a couple that had taken the easy way to success, have their time in the sun. It meant too often watching Arsenal sides clearly demonstrate that they did not really understand what it means to wear that badge. It meant feeling disconnected from the club time and again.
I haven’t felt disconnected from Arsenal for a very long time now. These days, I watch a team of players who regularly give their blood, sweat, and tears for every result that requires it. Week in and week out, these guys run their socks off, battle with opponents, and more often than not find a way to win games. This is a special group of players, with astronomical talent in their bodies and tremendous poise in difficult moments, who know what’s at stake and what they are fighting for.
And they are led by an equally special manager. Mikel Arteta is a former captain of this club and more than most understands the privilege of playing for Arsenal and the hunger fans have to see their team win the biggest honors in the sport. It also helps that he is an immensely gifted coach. Not only is he an elite tactician who has developed sustainable ways of winning while identifying his opponents’ weaknesses, but he also is a masterful leader of men. The way he is always able to inspire undying loyalty in his players, even as the outside world seeks to cast him out into the ether, has never been lost on me. As if that wasn’t enough, Arteta is obsessive about accessing marginal gains wherever he can find them, from set pieces to specialized team talks to tweaking the matchday experience at the Emirates Stadium. That combination of traits is borderline irreplaceable in this day and age.
Sure, there are still detractors. Rival fans continue to lob banter tinged with fear of what lies over the horizon. Legacy media devoid of ideas chase engagement by kicking those narratives into overdrive. Even some so-called Arsenal fans, self-proclaimed high performance experts tweeting criticisms from what is most likely a university dorm room or their parents’ basements, thirst for the team’s demise in order to flaunt a bog-standard “I told you so”.
But this entire season, this iteration of Arsenal have consistently demonstrated one thing: they are desperate to win things and they are willing to almost die trying. They have grafted every three days for the last nine months as they chase greatness with full commitment to the cause. They win their duels, they track runners, and they embrace achieving victory the ugly way if needs must. They stick to their plan and don’t listen to what pundits and social media have to say about them.
That dedication, that devotion to giving back to the fans, has seen them win 41 games this season. And that 41st win, which they achieved on Tuesday night, might be Arsenal’s most important of the last two decades. Because it is a win that sees Arsenal finally seal qualification for a Champions League final for the first time in 20 years and only the second time in the club’s history.
And perhaps its underscores the sheer willpower of Arteta’s men that they have secured this milestone against a team in Atlético Madrid that have likely served as something of a blueprint for this Arsenal side’s identity. Defensively disciplined, resolute in battle, and unafraid of winning the hard way. You could describe most of Diego Simeone’s teams like that as much as Arteta’s. The Spanish side traveled to the Emirates on Tuesday a more attack-minded outfit level on aggregate with the Gunners, and attempted to roll back the years in search of triumph; they got physical with Arsenal players, habitually toed the line when it came to cards and penalties, and did their best to rattle their hosts. But ultimately, Arsenal outmatched them for commitment, for guile, and for match-defining moments. In so doing, they have lined up a showdown later this month in Budapest with either PSG or Bayern Munich.
As I write this, something feels different. Arsenal feel… bigger. I think we will come to find that ascension to the ultimate conclusion of the most prestigious competition in club football will also come with ascension to an upper echelon of status among football clubs. People will look at Arsenal differently. Whether that look contains envy or admiration, I cannot say. All I know is that when I look at Arsenal right now, I am beaming with pride.
Ballers
Bukayo Saka
It was always going to be him, wasn’t it? I’d like to congratulate the scriptwriters on a proper tear-jerker of a plot — a Hale End graduate has risen through the ranks, eventually establishing himself as Arsenal’s best and highest-paid player, before scoring the goal to take his club to its first Champions League final in a generation while wearing the armband. I’m not quite sure there’s more than just one clear way for that to get any better.
For much of the match, Atleti made it their clear number one priority to keep Saka as quiet as possible. To do this, they regularly double- and triple-teamed the Englishman whenever he got the ball, for the most part succeeding in preventing him from spinning away into dangerous areas the way he did against Fulham at the weekend. Saka only managed 29 touches, two touches in the opposition box, one chance created worth 0.05 xA, and one of three attempted dribbles completed. It was for the most part a quiet game.
But cometh the hour, cometh the man. In the 45th minute, Jan Oblak spilled a save in his six-yard-box and the Arsenal winger was there to tuck home the rebound after smartly staying onside and beating multiple Atleti defenders to the loose ball. In the critical moment, Saka took responsibility like he has so many times and scored the important goal.
I also loved his comments after the match when he was interviewed by the CBS Sports team. There is a budding arrogance about him that I really like. He knows he’s a superstar, and he looks more than ready to be a protagonist down the final stretch for the Gunners.
Viktor Gyökeres
This is one of those situations when the FotMob score tells nothing close to the whole story; Gyökeres’ from this game is a 5.7, tied with Alexander Sørloth for worst of the match. But do not be fooled — Gyökeres was absolutely tremendous against Atleti. For 95 minutes, the Swede battled his heart out against the visitors’ back line. He ran the channels, he competed well for aerial balls, he wrestled with center backs for second balls, and he tussled in the box during set pieces. The former Sporting man emptied the tank, displayed some of his best hold-up play of the season, and served as a consistent outlet for Arsenal to get the ball up the pitch when their buildup faced too much pressure.
One such instance of his functionality as a release valve came in the buildup to the goal. William Saliba spotted Gyökeres’ run and played a lovely line-breaker to get the striker in behind. With Oblak bearing down on him and the shooting angle not favorable, the Swede did something that he has added more of to his game recently which I think is fairly underrated: he held onto the ball and waited for the play to develop. Which then led to Gyökeres lofting a cross that fell to Leandro Trossard, who tried a shot and the rebound was popped in by Saka.
Gyökeres also was played in behind in the second half and threaded a nice ball to Riccardo Calafiori, who ignored what I think would have been a straightforward assist when he refrained from passing to Saka in Atleti’s box. And then of course was his chance, which came from a luscious cross by Piero Hincapié that found the Swede in point-blank range. Unfortunately, Gyökeres put the ball over the crossbar but I continue to be encouraged by the increasingly regularity with which he has popped up for big chances. He finished with the most touches in the opposition box and the most shots, which is what you want from your center forward. All and all, I think it’s another one of his best performances for the club.
Leandro Trossard
I think it’s safe to say Trossard has rediscovered some form at a very useful time. Starting again following his great display against Fulham, the Belgian against produced an excellent performance in the second leg of Arsenal’s Champions League semifinal tie. The Gunners finished with the majority of possession at the Emirates, and had 68% of it in the first half. Trossard is a big reason why.
On the ball, he did what a certain front three struggled to do last month: he kept possession in the final third. Trossard had 47 touches and completed 29 of 31 passes in the match. His lone attempted dribble was successful, and three of his four long balls found their target. He also completed three passes into the final third. He didn’t create any chances, but the left winger was very efficient.
However, Trossard was utterly immaculate off the ball. The Belgian made four tackles, a clearance, andten recoveries (even popping up on the other side of the pitch to make them). He won six of nine ground duels and one of two aerial duels. He was only dribbled past once. Trossard was relentless in his work rate out of possession; I really don’t think Arsenal have the control over this match that they achieved without him.
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Ben White
I am so relieved to be able to include White in this column. In recent weeks, I have criticized his performances and genuinely worried about how much he has to contribute this season. On Tuesday, the Englishman made me look foolish for expressing such concerns.
Up against Ademola Lookman for a second time, White produced perhaps his best showing of the 2025/26 season and kept the Nigerian forward quiet. Lookman was subbed off in the 57th minute having taken one blocked shot and created no chances. White finished with a tackle, a block, four clearances, and five ball recoveries (including an excellent last-ditch intervention early in the second half to prevent Lookman from receiving a close-range scoring opportunity).
But where he excelled was his contributions to Arsenal’s attacking play. White continues to have a near-telepathic connection with Saka and kept his countryman ticking while he was on the pitch. Early in the game, he slid through a clever ball that allowed Saka to play a dangerous cutback similar to one he fashioned against Fulham. The right back also had some clever touches in the final third, including one bit of very crafty interplay with Eberechi Eze that almost resulted in a chance. He played some excellent balls into the channels behind and between the opponent’s defenders. And he produced a couple crosses that on another day result in a threatening moment or two for Atleti.
I want to be clear about something: I love White and how he plays, especially quiet “fuck you” attitude that lurks just beneath his steely, cool exterior. A fit and firing White is still an elite player. And that’s what Arsenal got on Tuesday.
William Saliba
Yes, his mistimed header produced the most dangerous moment of the game for Atleti and Gabriel had to bail him out. But looking back, I’m fairly certain that was Saliba’s only mistake over 95 minutes in a must-win Champions League semifinal second leg. And what he did right on Tuesday was immensely impactful.
In the eighth minute, Saliba intervened to prevent Julián Alvarez from taking a point-blank shot at Arsenal’s goal. Although his following defensive contributions weren’t as dramatic, they remained vital. The Frenchman also intercepted a ball over the top that would have set Alvarez in on goal in the 34th minute, and did so again in the 43rd minute. Frankly, the Argentinian was rather anonymous on Tuesday night and much of that is down to Saliba refusing to give Atleti’s best player an inch of breathing room. The Arsenal center back finished with 11 defensive contributions, the most of the match.
On the ball, he was great as well. Saliba managed 77 touches — also the most in the game — and was instrumental in getting his side going down the pitch. He played several line-breaking passes to take multiple Atleti players out of a sequence. Perhaps the prime example of this was his excellent through ball for Gyökeres that led to Saka’s goal. Just as he has been for almost the entire season, Saliba produced another complete performance.
Myles Lewis-Skelly
After his tremendous performance against Fulham last weekend, Arteta rewarded Lewis-Skelly with another start in a match of even higher stakes. And the Hale End graduate did not disappoint. Back in midfield, the young Englishman continued to serve as a progressive force that propelled Arsenal up the pitch. He began by creating a couple threatening moments; first by teeing up Gabriel for a shot from long range that narrowly missed, and then by driving through Atleti’s penalty area and playing a lovely ball across the face of the visitors’ goal that was begging to be struck home.
Aside from that, he did a great job of helping keep Arsenal’s buildup ticking and making smart choices on the ball. Lewis-Skelly finished with 90% accuracy on 49 passes. That includes five passes into the final third and several clever balls threaded through multiple lines of Atleti players. Off the ball, he made an interception and won all of his three aerial duels (and won fouls from two other aerial challenges).
Maybe it doesn’t sound like much from how I’m telling it. But right now, at this point in the season, Lewis-Skelly provides a few things that Arsenal have lacked in midfield recently: energy, dynamism, and intent to play forward. That doesn’t mean Martín Zubimendi is suddenly a bad signing or obsolete. But right now, the Gunners look like a better attacking side with the young Englishman alongside Declan Rice in midfield.
Declan Rice
Speaking of which, let’s talk about the Man of the Match winner from this game. Rice has a lovely habit of saving his best performances for big occasions, and Tuesday’s semifinal victory was no different. The Englishman was everywhere, making lung-busting runs up the pitch with the ball one moment and making critical defensive interventions the next.
In the 11th minute, Rice crucially put in a perfectly timed block to deny Giovanni Simeone from inside Arsenal’s six-yard box. Throughout the match, he snatched the ball from Atleti multiple times to start counterattacks against the Spanish side. And in the 86th minute, he plucked the ball off Sørloth for White to boot away after the Norwegian scuffed a shot inside the Gunners’ box. Rice finished with four tackles, a block, an interception, and three recoveries. He won five of six ground duels and was not dribbled past.
On the ball, he was also quite good. In the 24th minute, he left Antoine Griezmann in the dust as he carried all the way down the left flank and earned Arsenal a corner. He also set up a chance for Gyökeres after breaking up an Atleti attack and carrying coast-to-coast on the counter. The Englishman ended up creating two chances, making eight passes into the final third, firing in two accurate crosses from four attempted, and finding his man with five of eight long balls. He completed 56 passes, the most of the match. It was simply a dominant performance from the club’s record signing.
Gabriel
In recent weeks, Gabriel has receded into the background somewhat. Of course, it’s late in the season and odds are pretty solid that the Brazilian is playing through something. But Saliba has certainly been the Arsenal center back putting in the better performances of late.
However, Gabriel deserves commendation for his contributions today. After Saliba’s misplaced header allowed Simeone to go past Raya, the Arsenal no. 6 produced some of his best defending of the season to prevent the Atleti man from capitalizing on a truly heart-in-mouth moment. And given the scoreline, that proved to be an intervention that made all the difference. There is no doubt that Gabriel helped win this game for his side.
In addition to that, he was a regular stalwart in defense. He contributed a tackle, seven clearances, and a ball recovery over the course of the match. The Brazilian won four of five ground duels, two of four aerial duels, and won three fouls. Gabriel was immense on Tuesday night.
Mikel Arteta
Say what you want about him, but Arteta made some big calls in this game. In a do-or-die match, the Arsenal manager selected a relatively attacking lineup. While it was one that had just stormed to a 3-0 win against Fulham, the stakes were higher here. And yet, he went back to White after an unconvincing spell. He played Calafiori again instead of opting for the defensive security of Hincapié. He started a 19-year-old in midfield only three days after a full 90 in the Premier League.
Then, he took more risks with his substitutions. Arteta took off Saka, Eze, and Calafiori, perhaps the team’s three most individually talented attacking players, in the 58th minute. He opted, with just a one-goal lead, to try to control the game and see it out defensively with Hincapié, Martin Ødegaard, and Noni Madueke before also bringing on Zubimendi and Gabriel Martinelli.
But it worked. And Arsenal have just qualified for the Champions League final, yet to lose a match in the competition this season. They are a win away from immortality, from a permanent place in north London folklore. That just doesn’t happen under a mediocre manager.
There will be plenty of time in the offseason for discussion about Arteta and the job he’s done. But I will say this now: there is a second half to the question about whether the Spaniard should remain in his post after this campaign. And that is, who else is out there? Who else can come in and do anything close to the increase in stature and excellence that Arteta has led this club to? Is Pep Guardiola coming? Is Luis Enrique joining? Outside of that, I don’t think any other manager matches the man we have right now.
The Emirates crowd
This season has featured plenty of scrutiny regarding the level of encouragement in the stands during home games. I won’t pretend that I haven’t felt like sometimes the crowd has injected nervousness into proceedings. While I do think it’s down to the players to inspire the supporters, that Tyler Adams quote still is rattling around my mind.
But on Tuesday, they were tremendous. Every single fan who was at the Emirates Stadium for this game helped produce the most intimidating atmosphere I have ever seen at an Arsenal game. The noise was intense. The chants and the songs did not stop for the entirety of the match. And throughout the night, the vibes were immaculate; it was clear from the outset of the evening that N5 was hosting a massive occasion.
There is no doubt in my mind that the home crowd played a part in the win. They spurred the Arsenal players on in nervy moments. They created a pressure that, with every passing minute they found themselves a goal down, weighed more and more heavily on Atleti until they looked powerless in the end. If you were at the Emirates on Tuesday, just know that you did that. And I thank you for it from the bottom of my heart.
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