Football Daily - UCL Debrief: Arsenal into the Champions League Final

Episode Date: May 5, 2026

Kelly Cates is joined by Matt Upson, Rob Green, and John Murray for reaction as Arsenal beat Atletico Madrid to book their place in the Champions League Final. They discuss what it means for Arsenal to reach the final, how they managed their narrow win against Atletico Madrid and how they might match up against Bayern Munich or Paris Saint Germain in Budapest. We hear from Vincent Kompany on his preparations for Wednesday night’s semi-final.Plus, Mikel Arteta reflects on a historic night for Arsenal and explains how he agonised over his team selection to face Diego Simeone’s side. TIMECODES: 00:22 – Full time scenes at the Emirates 10:29 – A pivotal 24 hours for Arsenal 11:40 – How Arsenal beat Atletico 15:06 – Was defeat to Manchester City a positive turning point for Arsenal? 18:28 – Myles Lewis Skelly in midfield 24:01 – Arsenal’s defensive solidity 28:07 - Vincent Kompany on his preparations for PSG 37:40 – Mikel Arteta reaction

On the Football Daily podcast, Champions League debrief with Kelly Cates. Arsenal are into the Champions League final for the first time in 20 years. They beat Atlatico Madrid 1-0 on the night to go through 2-1 on aggregate. Our commentary team at the Emirates was Matt Upsen and our football correspondent John Murray. We are well over the five minutes of added time. Arsenal take the throw. Gabrielle gets it away. Adelaidea competition's history and there's some ill-feeling out.

There's some pushing and shoving. There's some frustration and anger, I would add. But there are scenes of great, great joy for the Arsenal players. The supporters in the stands, the players in a huddle together, and Arsenal have done it. They've knocked out Athletical Madrid and Diego Cimioni. 1-0 on the night, 2-1 on aggregate, and Matt Upsson, in the old-fashioned style.

What did it? Well, it's just appropriate, isn't it? for a game like this between two teams where no one was going to give an inch. The Arsenal just nick it one-nil and Saka pops up with a goal. I mean, talk about building something over the seasons is what Niquelitra has done with this group of players. They're going just one step further every time they want the Premier League so desperately that they also want this and the supporters want it too and the feeling around this stadium. Wow, what an evening for the fans.

And now Declan Rice is calling all of the Arsenal players together. He's calling Michael Arteta. And now Michael Artata, they're gathering in front of the clock. And they've run full and short vibrations that we're seeing inside the Everett Stadium. What are 24 hours they've had, seeing Manchester City stumble at Everton. And now the Premier League title is in their hands. And tonight into the Champions League final. This could well be.

It could be one of the great nights in the Emirates, which Vic Tartetta said before this game. I mean, even the gaggle of ultras are having a good party over there, John, aren't they? I mean, it is really jumping inside this stadium. And rightly so, what an achievement to make the Champions League final. Just incredible.

So there we are. What a tense tussle. This has been over the two legs in Madrid last week, here in London tonight as the rain pours down on the Emirates stadium. Fireworks in the air, smoke in the air. Arsenal won, Athletico Madrid, Mill, 2-1 on aggregate. And Arsenal are in the Champions League final in Budapest.

And Kelly Kitts, setting next to us here. John Murray and Matthew Uppsin here at the Emirates to watch as Arsenal reach that Champions League final. And Matt, Arsenal, at most, four. games away potentially from a Premier League and Champions League double. It's not done yet, but have they ridden out the worst of the storm? I wouldn't want to say that too early. I mean, it's just how the season's changed.

All of a sudden, the mood is uplifted from being really concerning. And it's just been an unbelievable season in the Premier League, in the Champions League, for many different reasons. But the turning form and fortune and to be in this stadium this evening, celebrating after the result last night, going to a Champions League final, and actually I think Kelly, they'll start to look forward to these Premier League pictures that are left to play,

because there was a bit of dread building up to it. And now, I think it's more excitement-based. A lot of excitement and so much excitement here inside the ground. The players only just started to make their way off the pitch, but they're still high-fiving each other. Mikhail Atta is still celebrating with his background staff. The Arsenal fans are going absolutely nowhere. They've waited 20 years to reach a Champions League final.

They've waited the entire existence of Arsenal to win either a Champions League trophy or a European Cup. And they are 90 minutes away from lifting that famous trophy. Their top of the table in the Premier League as things stand, this could be an historic season for them. Matt, obviously the Arsenal fans will be nervous at 1-0. But trying to look at it objectively from about an hour in, we're also relatively comfortable in this game. Did they manage it really well? I felt so.

I mean, that's what I said in the commentary. It doesn't look like there's too much going on here. I think Arsenal look in control. Now, maybe you shouldn't say that because you're tempting fake, but it just felt like that. It felt like Athletico were going to have to produce an unbelievable piece of magic. key players were off the field.

They looked a little bit disjointed. They weren't really creating a lot. And Arsenal had the bit between their teeth. Gabrielle just was like a man possessed. I know he plays like that a lot of the time. Sileva's the slightly calmer one that just marshals and monitors and dropped in. But Gabriel was just looking to have it with everyone and get in their face, get tight.

It's great to watch. And I thought it was just a really confident performance of a team but have to believe they're at the elite table and they're good enough to go and win this competition against two brilliant teams that are going to play tomorrow night. And this group can do it. They can definitely do it. And I think these kind of moments

is what really kind of feeds that belief. Man, is it too much to say that this is a transformational moment for Arsenal, this victory? I think it could be. It could be things like this that play into the psyche of just that tiny little bit that's missing and it is going to be missing because the group and the manager of the team haven't achieved this before so every time you achieve something better or you do something better you grow

as a group as an individual and certainly that feeling that you are one of the best teams in Europe you have to kind of cultivate that it doesn't just happen and winning football matches against top teams it certainly helps but kaiosaka i think is the last d'Arsel player to leave the pitch but those players who've been at the club since they were young who have that Arsenal mentality, that Arsenal DNA running through their veins. How much will this mean to them, not just as players, but as fans of the club?

Yeah, of course, it's a different feel, isn't it? I mean, as a group, what you achieve professionally is so special. But if you've come through the roots of the football club and, you know, you're local, you're all part of it, you have a different, a slightly more special affiliation, don't you, to the supporters to the club? And he certainly has that. And I'm just so pleased that he's able to come on,

start the game and impact it in the way that he did. It was an incredible impact from Bakayosaka. And we'll look at the game itself in more detail between now and 10.30. But as the Arsenal fans just start to make their way out of this stadium, finally, after the final whistle went quite a while ago now, they are still celebrating, they are still dancing, they are still hugging each other,

and they are still punching the air in celebration. They know that next step for Arsenal in their Champions League journey is a trip to Budapest. And Matt already, as they make their way out of here, all the conversations are going to be Paris Sajaman or Bayern Munich. Is there a better option? I don't think so. I think they're both tough. Is there a better option? I mean, no is the answer.

It's the Champions League final. Whoever you're going to be playing is going to be the most challenging game that you could possibly think. that you could possibly think of, and it certainly is that in this case. So the lovely thing is you play tonight. You get to go home, and then you can sit back tomorrow, watch the game unravel, and have a good look at the team that you're going to be playing in the final.

I mean, what a great occasion. What a great thing for the players to do. It is an incredible occasion for Arsenal. They've reached the Champions League final for just the second time in their history, and their first time in 20 years. They have never lifted the trophy. This might be the season that they could do it.

There have been so many doubters along the way, but tonight they've gone a long way to proving them wrong. And, of course, they find themselves in pole position in the Premier League table. And with three games left to play for Arsenal, they have it in their own hands. The game itself, John Murray, was relatively comfortable from about an hour in for Arsenal. But just talk us through how they reached the Champions League final tonight. Well, it feels like party time at the Emirates tonight, doesn't it? Vulevue, what a 24 hours it's been.

Manchester City dropped points in the Premier League last night. 24 hours later, Arsenal have edged their way through into only the club's second Champions League final and their first for 20 years. And it was indeed more of the same from last week, as we expected after the first leg in the Spanish capital. last week with both penalties. Tonight, one goal was enough.

1-0 to the Arsenal for the ninth time this season. And Bukai Osaka, with a six-yard box finish just before half-time after Trussard shot was parried by Oblack, and Giacas should get a mention as well for his part in the build-up to the goal. But what a tussle it was, fiercely competitive all the way.

Crucially, At Medico barely managed to carve out a clear chance all night. So fittingly, a clean sheet. did the trick. They're ninth in the Champions League this season. And it will be Arsenal in Budapest on Saturday the 30th of May. Also with us this evening, Rob Green,

Rob, in terms of the game itself, as we've been saying, Arsenal in control throughout the match. Not creating too many chances in that first half, but that one shot, that one goal from Bakayasaka, enough to take them to Budapest. It was routine, wasn't it, Kelly?

And I mean that in the biggest compliment. It was almost like the occasion was bigger than the opposition, and they made Athletico Madrid look ordinary. And they got the right side of the line. Be the right side of the line. Get that goal. It wasn't the most gracious of goals at Bukkao Sakra score, right time, right place. Nobody cares.

But just be on the right side of the line, be on the right side of history. And they have. And they've done it their way. And tonight it was a case of getting it done. And they've done that. And now Rob, as we keep saying, they're potentially a maximum of four games away from a Premier League and Champions League double. At times this season, there have been criticism of Arsenal, they've been finger-pointing maybe about the number of opportunities they create from open play. Have they, they've written that out now?

Have they kind of got past those difficulties and are now heading into a period of the season that they can look forward to? Yeah, and you look back at the games and you look back at where they've been their strongest. And it has been in the Champions League and the group stages where they finish top, they're still unbeaten. And you look at it and do you think, well, actually that served them a massive favour in terms of getting here.

And you think about the opponents they could have faced in the semi-final and they got Athletico and Madrid. And you're looking at the games that they've got to play now, you're saying, actually, we've gone through all those rough patches against the bigger teams,

against the better team. Now we've got West Ham, Crystal Palace and Burnley to beat. And then the final, you almost got three practice matches in there because you feel they've got too much for those three teams. So it's something in there that they've got us find again where that free flowing football can come back because as well as they did tonight,

you feel they've got to go another level for the final. Matt, it's just worth pointing out to people exactly what's going on still inside this stadium because while everybody is leaving and there aren't too many people left in it, the ones that are, and there are journalists here who've covered Arsenal for years and years internally, who've written stories, written books,

made documentaries about the club, who are running across to find their fans, who are just clutching each other and grabbing hold of each other. There's a sense of disbelief is probably too strong, but real joy. Yeah, there is, because I think there was obviously a feeling of that this couldn't go well. And, you know, this walkway next to us

is just funneling people, like shouting at us, you know, the supporters are so happy. and I can understand why it's been a long time coming in. It's been a relatively drawn out journey in terms of it's a long time Nicolete has been at the club, took them over, and then it's been promising this kind of game, this kind of outcome, and the group's delivered, and the club get a day out in the Champions League final. You know, it's just fantastic. Kelly's worth remembering.

It's been a while since they've been regulars in the Champions League. they've done it for a few seasons now but before that it's been years since they've been in the actual Champions League itself so you know this growth has been as much saying it's been coming I think why you're seeing this Kelly is because of that period

where we doubted them didn't we and there was that feeling that it could all crumble the fact that it went so far this season where they still had the possibility of doing the quadruple and then we got that spell at the end of March and into April where they lost four matches in four out of six matches

and there was that feeling on the outside that it was all going wrong lost at Manchester City but after that defeat at Manchester City when actually they played well in that match they've been able to write the ship there is a question around that Manchester City match and despite the fact that they lost it did that performance go some way to sparking

the games that we've seen since the performances that we've seen since and most importantly the result that we've seen tonight Matt. Yeah, I just think that it's the territory that you have to go to if you want to be a top team and there's going to be disappointments and there's going to be times when you're going to play well and get beat. And you have to show character and you have to show some real grit and determination. And I think they did that at Manchester City and performed really well. Could have easily come away with a point. They weren't in the rhythm for that game. They weren't in good form.

Manchester City were in the ascendancy and we're doing much better. So to come away and play like that was fantastic. But I think you've just got to have that in a belief, Kelly. It doesn't matter what game you play in what competition, who you're playing against what the outcome of the game is. The best teams keep going and they keep pushing and believing they're going to win the next game. And if they don't, they want to believe they're in the next game. And that's what they've done.

They've had to push through that difficult period where you go out of trying. two competitions in the space of probably seven or eight days and it was a real kick in the teeth. But they've come back. They've now got to celebrate this. So it's worth going through the pain. Rob, I want to talk about Mikhail Artetta as well now. And first of all, just purely in relation to this game, the fact that he went for that team that started against Fulham at the weekend. And it came as a bit of a surprise to everybody.

I'm not sure that anybody would have necessarily picked that game before kick that team before kickoff in this match. but it paid off. Yeah, and I think it added to the sense of, not exuberance, but the good feeling around the ground. Before the game, they went, right, it played well, the guys played well, let's go for it. And it has been since that Manchester City team, since they named the 11 there,

he's been very much a let's go for it type of 11. And this was no different. And you felt that the way that they've gone about it has been front foot. They've been stepping forward onto games. And it was like that tonight. even when they were 1-0 up and you thought maybe we'd go into our shelves and you thought they might revert to tie for what we used to.

They didn't. They kept pressing forward. York Perez closed down the centre up on a 60-yard run, hopeless. It was absolutely pointless chasing, but it dragged the whole team up the pitch. And they all did it. They went and went again. And this is why Athletic Ombuds didn't have that opportunity. They just didn't see the moment where Arsenal blinked.

and they haven't blinked and you feel they're going to carry on doing that and can they do that in the final? We'll just have to wait and see now. Particularly the inclusion of Miles Lewis Skelly because although he's played a lot of his junior football and his development football in midfield and that was his position as a kid,

once he's come into this Arsenal first team he's been playing at fullback match so to play him in midfield against Fulham to start him in midfield against Fulham and then to start him in a Champions League semi-final with the score at one-all is a huge call. Yeah. Everything I hear about this lad is pointing towards the fact that people talked about

not about how good a footballer he is, but about the character that he is. And I hear really positive things about him being able to cope with situations. And how he does it or why perhaps it's just a character trait, but he has the ability to rationalise things and then go and deliver at various different levels at different ages which is why I mean he slipped into international football scoring on his debut he scored for England

I think it was wasn't it John it? He scored the first goal and the first goal was too. Yeah exactly so to be able to do that you've got to have a little bit something special and then he's had to deal with the fact right you're at the team so you're not getting your football you're not getting the accolade

you're not topping up the confidence bottle, week in, week out. And then you come to playing a game like this in the season in midfield. He's got an amazing attitude and way and belief system and can absorb information. But also, I just think he's a genuinely nice person that wants to do well, loves the club, wants to move on and loves being here. So you put all that in the mix and you get a player that can then step onto this stage and perform how he did.

Didn't look out of place at all. There's some really good things. with the ball was very steady. I like him in that position and I think probably with his skill set it suits him. It doesn't get as exposed as much with those sharp runs or pace he runs in Baham which I think

he really struggles with at times but with the ball and in those close quarters in midfield he looked really good with Declan Rice. It's worth of remembering as well that you've got to give credit to Artetta in this in that he's recognised that big game, big occasion, big players 60 million pound signing Zubimendi

no use to it there. You stay there. This isn't your time. And it's been really interesting that he's picked this moment for Louis Skelly. I don't know what he's seen. Why do you think he's done that, Greenie? I mean, it's hard to put your finger on why, isn't it? Yeah, and it's just a moment, isn't it?

Whether there's something in training clicked, whether there's a gut feeling. Yeah, just as a manager, you just go for these things sometimes, and it's come off. It's been fascinating. But it's also making me think of Michael Artetta's apprenticeship under Pep Guardiola, and that was the accusation at times with him in big games that he would make changes. He would make these calls that people from the outside would think of as strange,

but they didn't pay off a lot of time. And that would be why Manchester City would go out of European competition. It happened more than once with them. And yet when Artetta's had to make the call, Rob, he's done that and he's raised eyebrows, he surprised people and come away with the victory. Yeah, it is fascinating. And it is something that he's seen somewhere, somewhere in it.

And Lewis Skelly is someone who progresses the ball possibly better than Zubimendi. He is more suited to play in possibly alongside as a two with Declan Rice in there to push him along. The intelligence of wanting them dropping in between the centre-half's control in the game in there. One of the two goes. The other one finds the little angle to add another dimension. He sees something there that Zuma-Mendi doesn't. and it's suited them for this afternoon, this evening's game. Whether it does that again in the next game, I don't know.

It's this niche, this unique in a moment. It's something that might just happen these two games. We'll have to see. And we will have to wait and see who Arsenal will face in the final, whether it is by Munich or whether it is Paris Saint-Germain. But we talk a lot, Matt, as well, about how difficult the Premier League is and how difficult it is for teams to rest players in order to compete properly in the...

in the Champions League. Athletico Madrid, able to make 10 changes at the weekend, Arsenal. Although they did make a few changes for the game at Fulham, they were able to bring players off. Saka came off at half time

and he was able to kind of having got the three-goal advantage to change players and give them a few more minutes rest at least during the course of that game. But I don't know whether it's better to have the rhythm or whether it's better to have the rest.

Yeah, I think you can look at it in two different ways. I think the perfect balance is what you said in terms of you're getting up for the game you're playing in the game you're getting your feel your timing the speed the sharpness but then you're able to manage minutes because the team's doing well right I can take them off and I can rest sacchar and like because there's certain like centerbacks for instance you can kind of churn games out and goalkeepers do you know what mean they just stand about on the line Kelly you know it's just it's not too much no there's no mental focus at all isn't there but but but other positions that require probably probably

more sharpness and liveliness and creativity and bits of thought. I think that if you can rotate those, which Arsenal could do against Fulham, and you get those minutes in the bank, and then you can come off and manage that. I think that's your perfect one personally, because as a player, I just used to love keep playing. While we're talking about defenders and goalkeepers,

Arsenal have averaged 0.63 goals conceded per game under Artetta in the Champions League this season. It's the lowest ratio of any manager with more than 20 games, games in the competition. It is very much, as much as they have those incredible attacking players, it is very much, Rob, a safety first approach from Arsenal. And it was aggressive, aggressively safety first. I think Matt talked about Gabrielle being the behemoth that he was at the back, but everything tonight, off the ball, on the ball, felt like it was front-footed. And you look at how they went about the defending. It was an aggressive manner.

They really did nullify Athletico Madrid. It made them look really, really ordinary, I have to say. You thought they didn't really know how to go about it, how to create a chance. So-Lock had that one shot, which you miss hit in the second half. That was it. You were expecting an opportunity for them, and nothing came because they just stayed so aggressive.

And to not blink, to not step back, and to not recognize the occasion, We're minutes away from the Champions League final, but just to keep true to it is a team full of confidence in where they are and full of confidence in the defence that they've got. Well, did you think that Yoccarez was a big part of that as well, Greenie, the way they defended. I thought, Howie, I mean, I'm just looking at the replay on the little screens here

of his chars. It's such a shame he couldn't finish. I mean, it's just that finishing touch and a bit of quality there that if you could have just sealed that with a goal, it would have been a top performance. It would have made it. Yeah, you'd have said, great, you know what, you've earned that because you've done all the other bits as well.

He ran the other two centre-halfs ragged. He got the better of them in the physical challenges. And his touch was good as well, wouldn't they? Yeah, it was cuter than them, was smarter than them. You know, won a lot of free kicks there. And you just thought that that was the one bit, and that was the bit where you thought, Athletic Go Madrid are going to get a chance now.

And they didn't, because Arsenal just kept on going. There was the heart in mouth moment, though, was that incident when Saliva headed the ball. Rob, we've not heard your view on that yet when Saliba headed it back past Raya and Simeone, Juliano Simeone, was almost there. And Gabriel put the challenge in. Simeone was adamant. That should have been a penalty? Because he missed the opportunity, yeah. He's taken the touch.

He needed to hit that with the second touch once he'd knocked it around and take it with the left foot but not being left footed. He didn't really want to, did he? And it just sort of, Gabrielle got his presence, made his, didn't really put a challenge in, but got enough in there. But it wasn't something that you're feeling. The Simeone, you're looking at saying, you've got to take that.

In a game like this, this is your opportunity. It was a gift in terms of what you're going to get from Arsenal, and they didn't take it. Five live sports. So here's the first ball of this series. All the cricket you laugh. Lips on BBC Sounds. Smash.

Down the ground, this girl. Here ball by ball coverage of the biggest competitions on the domestic and international circuits. It's a ball cricket and it's the huge one. Cricot, settle down, tough. Sorry, Ray. Cricket on five-life sport. Oh, I've lived in every ball of this.

Listen on BBC Sound. On the Football Daily podcast, Champions League debrief, with Kelly Cates. As much as the celebrations have raised the roof around the Emirates, it means nothing if they don't go on and lift the trophy and to do that they're going to have to beat either Paris Saint-Gaman or Bayern Munich and on Wednesday night we're going to have commentary of the second leg of the semi-final between Bayern and Paris.

PSG, a 5-4-up on aggregate after that extraordinary first leg at the Park Day Prince and Bayern Munich head coach Vincent Company has been speaking to Rob Schofield. I wonder in your position where you are as a coach at the moment your coaching journey Do you find it easy to put yourself in the mindset of the players? Do you lean on your experience of playing huge games domestically and in Europe? Or do you just manage it, coach it like any other game? There is no just another game. Every game is different.

I have been 23 years at top level football. So although I'm a coach now, there's not many situations I haven't experienced or haven't seen. I had success and failure as well. You do have a big library of moments. And you use it, of course. But I'm thinking always for these games is don't play the game the day before. You know, it's when the whistle goes, that's when you have to play the game. That's when you have to bring the emotions and everything with the necessary calm as well.

But until that point for me, I have only preparation, routine and calmness to give them. And when the game starts, then you think of the emotions you need for the game. That's a little bit how I would frame it. And look, it doesn't matter how they frame it, Rob, because the way that this is going to be looked at is it was 5-4 in the first leg, which was the most incredible semi-final that I think, well, certainly one of the most incredible that we've seen. Can it live up to it, do you think? The energy that they spent, this is the only thing I can think of, Kelly, where the energy that

they spent was so great in that first leg. They go to go again in a second, and it's just not there. They're just so tired. They're still so spent. And it was 5-4. It could have been more. It could have been 10 old. We just can't remember the guy, I can't remember the hat for the chances that both teams had. I do think that By and actually you were looking at them when they went, they went the couple of goals behind you thinking, well, hold on the minute. You're in trouble of falling apart here.

You could get steam rollered and they didn't, they edge their way back in, got the two goals back, got it back to 5'4. And you think, oh, maybe, maybe just maybe. That was the momentum shifting. But I think they're just going to dust themselves off and just go. again and it is going to be electric. The record, the all-time record for goals scored in a European Cup campaign is 45 by Barcelona in 1999-2000 season. PSG have got 43, Bynne have got 42 so far this champion league season.

So we could be looking at a record breaker, whoever reaches the final. I imagine once the game gets underway, Matt, you'll discover that you do have a preference for who Arsenal will face in the final. I'm not sure. I will, to be honest. I'm looking at both of them thinking they're both as hard to prepare for, both as hard to beat. I think they're just going to go at it again tomorrow. Both coaches, you know, the way they set up.

I mean, Vincent Company talking about having the calm before the game. Well, if that was the calm before the game, then you'd hate to see it a bit more hectic because it was just a brilliant game. And even in that scoreline of the lead that PSS. had they still just kept going and going and go never really adapt or made some substitutions to try and change it but they've got that mode once you're in that mode it's hard to turn it off and I think both teams have it and they've both got goals and the attacking players on show I mean what a game that was to watch do you think Arsenal would fancy trying to keep a clean

sheet against Harry Kane in the Champions League final the man who's the man who scored John the man who scored more goals in North London Derby's than anyone else. Don't deflate the mood here at the Emirates, John. It's been buoyed all evening. Just asking the question. Also, if they do manage to keep a clean sheet and stop Harry Kane scoring in the final, then that wouldn't deflate the mood by any stretch.

It would just add to it. But there is, you know, there is a question to be asked. You've got these two teams with extraordinary firepower, as you've described. They're going head to head tomorrow night. And we'll bring you commentary of that on five live sport. And then one of them is going to face Arsenal. in the final. Because we've talked about Arsenal's defensive strength,

are they probably the best team equipped to deal with whether it's Bayern or whether it's Paris? Yeah, I definitely believe that for sure. You're not going to see a game like that, but you're going to see a team that have a defensive structure that can cope with attacking talent like what these two teams have. The difference is that they're happy to take that risk with the ball, try and make something happen,

turn over and you'll lose the ball. They're more risky in that sense. Okay, it's in areas of the pitcher it's in their attacking third. So it's not too bad, but Arsenal, the type of team that can just keep winning those little jewels and then chip away themselves

and they've got enough going forward to set plays, all the rest of it to throw into the mix. And I think it would be a really different matchup which would make it a fascinating game. They can't go toe to toe with them, can they? No. Well, another little thought, Rob, because they have already played in a cup final this season.

And, you know, that was against, obviously, a very good Manchester City team. And that's recent memory, isn't it, the fact that they were second best in that final, in the Carabaut Cup final. Yeah, but you felt that that was something that they really sort of, again, I think this is going back to where they played against Manchester City in the league and they went on the front foot. That was them really sort of blinking, wasn't it? You saw them blink in that part.

partway through the first half when Manchester City had ridden the storm and this is the thing about finals, you'll ride the storm and then you're back in it and Manchester City news their know-how. You hope for Arsenal's point of view, they've learned from that. You hope that they turn around and go, we just cannot blink.

We've got to stick to our guns. We've got to keep going forwards and against either of these two teams, if you blink against them, they will tear you apart. You will get absolutely, the game will be gone and it's going to be such a test of courage to go to that final and play either of those sides.

Just another little thought on European finals for Arsenal. As we know, as we've been saying all night, this is only the second time that they'll appear in the Champions League final, but it will be their eighth final in the various different European competitions, including the Intercity's Fairs Cup that they won back in 1970, and they've lost in the last four European finals that they've been in. So the Europa League final that Rob was involved in in Baku against Chelsea, lost the 2006 Champions League final,

lost the 2000 UEFA Cup final against Galatasaray in Copenhagen, lost the 1995 European Cup Winners Cup Final against Zaragoza when Namar, when Naim. Naim, that's the one. Naeem scored from the halfway line. So the last one they won was the Cup winner's cup final under George Graham in 1994 when Alan Smith. scored the only goal against Palmer.

You are the cloud on everyone's silver line. I'm just saying it would be, you know, that's the measure of the achievement that if they were able to win it, they've not won a European trophy since 1994. John, and while the ground is relatively empty and we're in the process of upsetting Matthew Upsen a little bit further,

there is a question to be asked about about history in this competition because Paris Saint-Germann struggled with it, with some of the greatest players that we've seen in their side, they struggled to get over the line until they did it last season. And it felt like that was a kind of, that was a defining moment for them being able to get over the line. The experience in the Champions League,

we see it time and again with Royal Madrid in particular, that history in this competition matters. I also think as well with PSG, I mean, that was unforgettable what they did in Munich last year against Inter when I don't think I'll ever see another, Cup final performance like that. And, you know, PSG will obviously draw from that, but I think the obvious thing to take from that was

that that's unlikely to happen again that they really go to town in a final. And whoever it is, whether it's Bayern Munich or PSG, that is going to be such a match of and a contrast of styles, isn't it, between the two sides? And, you know, we know which way Arsenal will want it to go. They'll want it to be a scrap just like this. Bukaiusaka has been talking to television. He said,

it's so beautiful. You can see what it means to us, what it means to the fans. We are all so happy. It's a beautiful story and I hope it ends well in Budapest. And Matthew Upsen, there's every chance that it might. There's every chance that it might. But I think that that question you asked a moment ago, Kelly, was spot on in the sense that that belief that you get from winning the trophy. Now, all of a sudden, PSG think they're the best team in Europe. And they behave like it.

It's an arrogance. It's a belief that they have. And you only get that from doing it. And you've got to break that. You've got to get through that barrier. That's the next step for this group of players. And Bikai Osaka, they're looking forward to it. And I'm sure all the players are and the manager.

But that's what they need to do. Mikhail Ateta is now speaking live at his press conference and we can join him. It's an incredible night. We made history again together and I cannot be happier, proud for everybody that is involved in this football club. The manner that we got received outside the stadium already was special and unique. The atmosphere that our support is created, the energy, the way they lived every ball with us. It made it special and unique. I never felt that in the stadium. And we knew how much it meant to everybody.

We put everything. The boys did an incredible job. And after 20 years, for the second time in our history, we are back in the Champions League final. How proud of you of the whole campaign unbeaten all the way through? It feels like some of your best performances of the season have come in this competition as well? Yes, because we know how difficult and challenging. Every opponent is at this level.

And athletics, they're an incredible team. The way they compete, the solution they have, the answers they have to everything that you try to do to them immediately. It's incredible. That's the reason that they've been there. Diego is on an outstanding job there and the margins are so small and tonight they've gone for us. There was perhaps some surprise at the line-up being the exact same as what we saw at the weekend. What was the feeling that made you select that team?

I mean, if you see my iPad, the amount of lineups that I've done and put it and change it and turn it again and what about this and freshness and the possible sobs and if they do that we do this, Such a good feeling for what I saw a few days ago against Fullam, that I said. I need to do that it was painful because it's always difficult to live. Important players out because they all want to be involved and start this kind of games. But you saw all the finishers, the manner that they got into the pitch and how much they helped the team. Hamika, what was going through your head in that moment where the ball loops up from Willow's head and it sort of feels like it's breaking in, Gabby comes out of nowhere and saves the day? what's going through your head in that moment?

They order immediately. My wife, my kids, my parents, my sister and then all the people that are involved at the club because I know immediately what it feels. But yeah, you can think and say, okay, it's going to be a beautiful night. When you actually are looking somebody in the eye and it has that expression,

you look to the supporters and they are just immensely proud and happy. That's when our job makes sense because many other times it's difficult to find the right reason What we do, what we do. But when these things happen, then everything that we do, obviously, is worth it.

Mikhail Ateta, talking with real warmth about that Arsenal support right from the minute, the players arrived at the ground and thousands of Arsenal fans met them. In a cloud of red smoke, the coach made its way past the cannons outside the Emirates, and the players came in, beat Atlatico Madrid by a goal to nil

and made their place in Budapest in the Champions League Final Secure. It's been an incredible night. Matt, we've got a little bit, ever an answer to the question of when did he decide about the team news? He said he was all over the place trying to change it on his iPad. Yeah, and I think John and Rob were bang on in the sense that they were here in the full of game and he saw something in that game that he just loved, fiddled about on the pub,

tried to change it and probably just kept coming back to what he saw from the sounds of it. I mean, that's my interpretation of what he said. Rob, from the cool, calm performance that we saw from Arsenal this evening in a Champions League semi-final second leg. Do they look like a side that potentially could go on and win this competition? Well, they're half a chance, haven't they? Well, they're in the final.

You look at what they've got in front of them now, and it is, they can't dress it up any better. Mikhailates Khan, he doesn't need to say anything anymore, does he to his team? Just go and produce again and again and again. And you're home. And then they've got a week after. to winning the league, which potentially they could do.

And imagine the amount of momentum that gives them and to go into the final. So whatever the final is, you're looking at two of the national champions going at it to get against each other. So both teams are going to have such wonderful momentum you're thinking it's going to be an absolute belter. And they set it up, Kelly, didn't they,

with the sailing ship on the T-4? Before the match here inside the stadium, over land and sea was the sea, was the slogan at the bottom and we know Michael Artetta told the Arsenal doubters they should jump on the boat. Well, Arsenal fans everywhere

set sail for Budapest. That's all from the Emirates. Thanks very much to John Murray, Matt Uppson and Rob Green. We will have commentary of the other semi-final by Munich against Paris Saint-German on Wednesday night's Five Live Sport. Aaron Paul will be here with reaction to the final

weekend of the EFL season in 72-plus on your next episode of the Football Daily. But for now, thanks for listening. Live Sports. BBC Women's Football Weekly. The latest news, insights and analysis from across the women's game. Dame Serena Vigman, welcome to the moment. Are we including Dame in your title now? You know how much an honour that is? You want to play in a way that they can show their skills, so that's what we're trying to do.

Win the World Cup. It's a dream. Listen. With the BBC Sounds app. Thank you.