When the full-time whistle sounded to confirm Arsenal’s place in the Champions League final, it was hard to know where to look.
Gabriel Martinelli launched the ball high into the night sky, a fitting signal for the celebrations to begin, while on the touchline Mikel Arteta disappeared beneath a wave of coaches and staff. Out on the pitch, Gabriel sank to his knees, head pressed into the turf, overcome. Substitutes poured on from every direction, among them matchwinner Bukayo Saka, who paused, dropped to his knees and pointed skywards. Martin Odegaard was there in an instant, Max Dowman too, drawn to the moment.
Mikel Merino and Jurrien Timber, sidelined but no less part of it, joined the throng. Everywhere you looked there were embraces, raised fists, wide smiles, a few players blinking back tears, others so overwhelmed they seemed unsure what to do with themselves. It felt like more than celebration, something closer to release.
Eventually, as North London Forever rang out, they gathered themselves and charged as one towards the Clock End. In the stands, supporters of all ages bounced and roared, scarves aloft, phones raised, voices cracking. Some simply shouted into the night, releasing everything that had built over the course of an evening, a season, a journey that has asked so much.
And so, Budapest.
A chance to make history. A chance to become the first Arsenal side to lift the trophy with the big ears. It will not be easy. Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain contest the other semi-final, familiar obstacles from recent seasons, both capable of ending the story. That is for another day.
For now, this was a moment to take in, to hold onto, and to remember.
“It’s an incredible night,” said Arteta in his [post-game press conference.](https://www.arsenal.com/news/every-word-artetas-post-atletico-presser-0)
“We made history again together. I cannot be happier and prouder for everyone involved in this football club. The manner that we got received outside the stadium was special and unique.
“The atmosphere that our supporters created, the energy, the way they lived every ball with us, it made it special and unique. I never felt that in the stadium.
“We knew how much it meant to everybody. We put everything in, the boys did an incredible job. After 20 years and for the second time in our history, we are back in the Champions League final.”
Declan Rice, named player of the match by UEFA’s Technical Observer Group after another all-action display, was just as struck by the atmosphere.
“I can’t describe it to be honest with you,” he told [Arsenal.com.](https://www.arsenal.com/news/rice-full-emotion-historic-ucl-night)
“It’s been coming, this night at the Emirates in general, I think it’s the best night at the Emirates that I’ve witnessed, even better than the Real Madrid game last year.
“From the moment we drove in today, the coaches stopped, and we thought, what’s going on? Because usually we just drive straight in, and the next thing we just see all the flares and the fans and the goosebumps from all the players looking out the window, it was just incredible.
“I’ve not seen the Emirates like that, so a big thank you to the fans because we needed that. And when we came in as well, you could feel the energy from everyone. Even if you’re tired, it just gives you that energy to keep going, and I think they played a massive part tonight in making us win.”
Twenty years ago, it was a poacher’s finish from Kolo Toure that sent Arsenal to Paris at Villarreal’s expense. This time, it was Bukayo Saka on hand to convert from close range after Jan Oblak parried Leandro Trossard’s low drive.
The significance of one of the club’s academy graduates making the difference was not lost on anyone. Saka, one of only four squad members to predate Arteta, has been the poster boy for the manager’s project over the last six and a half years. A boy during the club’s nadir, now a man central to its resurgence.
“It had to be someone very special, and certainly he is very special for me and the boys and everyone attached to this club. If it had to be someone scoring that goal, it probably had to be him,” said Arteta, speaking to Amazon Prime Video.
What a difference two weeks make. Defeat to Manchester City at the Etihad on 19 April left the Gunners licking their wounds and wondering if the season might drift away in familiar fashion. Now they are four games from ending a 22-year wait for the Premier League and breaking their Champions League duck.
The possibility of heartbreak still lingers, but there is a renewed energy around the club that, if channelled well, could define the weeks ahead. Arteta knows his role is to keep things grounded.
“The high is not too high, the low is not too low, my job is to be quite stable. I really will enjoy it, everyone is enjoying this moment now.
“Tomorrow we have to start to prepare for Sunday, we have an incredible game now to play against West Ham, a really tough one and we’re going to have four days to do that. It’s great, let’s enjoy the moment.
“Everybody can feel a shift in energy, in belief, in everything. Let’s use it in the right way, understanding the margins and the difficulty of what we are trying to achieve. It’s huge but we have the ability and the conviction to do that for sure.”
Despite the soaring costs of tickets, travel and accommodation, Arsenal supporters are expected to follow Declan Rice’s call and travel in huge numbers to the final.
“Budapest, I want every Arsenal fan out there,” said the England international.
“200,000 of you, come out! Let’s try and do it because we’re going to need all the support, all the energy and let’s make it really special.”
That figure may be ambitious, but the message from last night’s pre-game tifo still stands. Over land and sea, we will travel, hoping to witness something the club have never done before.