FOOTBALL | Aided by Saka and a generous serving of Rice, Arsenal heralds a new generation Premium

Arsenal's historic Champions League win over Real Madrid showcases a team triumphing over individual power with style and precision.

Two legs, two wins, and a place in the semifinals of the UEFA Champions League for the first time since 2009. Five goals scored, just one conceded and Real Madrid, European royalty, silenced.

This was the coming of age for Arsenal, played out in high definition with the world watching in awe.

Real has shown structural weaknesses throughout the season, but the irregular pressing and gaping holes in the midfield were masked by moments of individual brilliance from an array of stars: from Antonio Rudiger at the back to Kylian Mbappe up front via Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior.

But when Mikel Arteta’s men came in all guns blazing, Real had no reply and was left second-guessing everything, even in its own backyard.

And yet, a week ago, this was expected to be a contest between mismatched teams, not on the pitch but in terms of experience. It was pipped as a contest between a group of players fighting against the odds for its first major trophy versus one where winning titles has become second nature.

In the end, one team played like it was in a pursuit of numbers while the other showed that the greater joy was in pursuing memories. And for Arteta, this is a legacy-minting exercise, the most striking chapter in his Arsenal genesis a little more than five years ago.

A domestic title here and there has barely held back fans’ desire for Premier League and European glory. Arsenal came close several times, but it always remained the bridesmaid, never the bride.