Man City meltdown reminds Arsenal what they must do

All throughout the 2021/22 season, a substantial contingent of Arsenal supporters have been experiencing something unique. In the case of many, all they will have known is Arsenal in European competition.

They are two peas in a pod. So to have now gone through the first campaign in a quarter of a century without any continental football to play has been difficult to swallow. While the additional resting time has helped Mikel Arteta trim his squad and guide the team towards a top four finish, that hasn’t prevented midweeks from feeling empty.

Some will argue it’s been refreshing. England not qualifying for Euro 2008 was devastating, but it ended up being one of the best international tournaments in modern history, one without any stress.

However, that novelty wears off quickly. Of course it has been hard watching fellow English sides reach the latter stages with Arsenal nowhere to be seen. There has been some fabulous football on show but it should be the Gunners contesting in it.

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Manchester City meltdown vs Real Madrid reminds Arsenal what they must do if they want to return to the magical Champions League

No fixture across the whole of the football calendar has quite matched the two we’ve seen between Manchester City and Real Madrid. Pep Guardiola, well aware of Arsenal’s interest in Gabriel Jesus, started the Brazilian up top in both of the semi-final ties, which was quite frankly the least interesting element of the whole tie.

It was a pair of fixtures that prompted the usual ‘how can you not love football’ social media posts. Because, honestly, how can anyone watch what took place over 210 minutes and not be utterly captivated?

The first leg was a remarkable goal-laden bonanza where City should have been out of sight by half-time, and then seconds after Jack Grealish has a goal cleared off the line in the second leg to wrap the tie up, Rodrygo grabs two in the 90th minute to send to extra-time. From the spot shortly after, Karim Benzema booked Real Madrid’s spot in the final.

What relevance is that Arsenal?

This club has had its moments in the Champions League. Special performances and memorable goals, all taking place before that famous music echoes around a dimmed stadium. Manchester City’s meltdown – or Real Madrid’s majestic comeback, if you’d rather – offered a reminder of just how glorious the Champions League is, and how much it has been missed.

Arsenal have their fate in their hands. At the most they need to win their final four matches. At the least they need to win the next two.

Everyone wants to be back there, even if it (likely) entails another battering at the hands of Bayern Munich. That or an away trip to Olympiakos. Whatever.

Arsenal should be in this competition. Nobody deserves to on account of historical performance, it’s what you do in the now that matters. For this club, that means finishing the top four. This has been an agonising five year absence. We want to be back in that conversation, regardless of how it ends up.

Maybe the score at the Allianz Arena can be kept down to 4-1 this time. That’d be nice.