. With four minutes left in Arsenal’s last Champions League match of a highly successful group stage, Ethan Nwaneri began his walk around the pitch at Montilivi. As he did so, they waited for him with open arms on the bench and, in the small main stand, Arsenal supporters and staff stood and applauded. He was in no hurry; he had given everything, after all, and anyway he was happy to take it all in.
Ultimately, this had been a comfortable enough night for Arsenal, and it had always been likely to be; they had earned that right and a 2-1 win over Girona sent them directly to the last 16, as expected. What made it more memorable was that the 17-year-old from Enfield, already the youngest player in Premier League history, marked his first start in this competition with a superb performance and the wonderful goal that gave them the win here. If Arsenal are to make the final this season, it would only be the second ever, along with 2006. The kid who marked this occasion and may well mark many more hadn’t even been born that night.
Arteta had noted that qualification was not yet mathematically assured but the numbers were very much on their side: the chances of them not making it were less than 0.1% and, with Manchester City coming at the weekend, the Arsenal coach did make changes. That meant a starting XI without Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz. David Raya did not start either as it was decided he was not fully fit. There was, instead, a first Champions League start for Nwaneri, who has something special about him: a speed and gracefulness to his movement, self-assuredness in everything he does.
At the other end, Neto made his first appearance in this competition in five years and it didn’t go entirely as planned. They hadn’t even been playing two minutes when he slipped and almost gifted the opening goal to Yáser Asprilla; they had been playing for 28 when he played a part in Girona opening the …
Read More
