1. Well, let’s be realistic, no. No, no, no, no, no. But then again: maybe!...Come on, then, let’s see what you can do, Arsenal. It almost certainly isn’t on. But it’s on!
2. Good evening
pipe dream n. an illusory or fantastic plan, hope or story
Let’s put Arsenal’s task here in some sort of perspective.
...
And yet, and yet ... this is football! You never know. You just never know.
...
3. Never Say Never dept. A four-goal turnaround in European competition? Yes, it’s unlikely, but it’s not totally beyond the realms.
...
4. A pre-match word with Bayern boss Carlo Ancelotti, who is asked if he plans to show Arsenal any mercy. “No.”
5. And we’re off!
6. 13 min: ... Arsenal nearly score.
7. WHAT A GOAL! Arsenal 1-0 Bayern Munich (Walcott 20); agg 2-5
8. HALF TIME: Arsenal 1-0 Bayern Munich (agg: 2-5)
9. And we’re off again! Arsenal get the ball rolling for the second half. No changes. Three goals are required. They couldn’t, could they?
10. Penalty for Bayern Munich!
53 min: A little dink down the middle, and Lewandowski is suddenly in the Arsenal box, shaping to shoot. He’s barged over from behind by Koscielny, who is shown the yellow card after the referee points to the spot.
11. RED CARD! Koscielny (Arsenal)
12. 54 min: The referee changes his mind and shows Koscielny red!
13. GOAL! Arsenal 1-1 Bayern Munich (Lewandowski 55 pen); agg 2-6
Lewandowski, having earned the penalty kick, steps up, stutters, and slots the ball into the bottom right. There goes that one little scrap of hope, then.
14. 58 min: That Bayern equaliser was coming, though. The German champions, in the professional style, had clearly come out with a clear remit: ensure Arsenal, who had earned themselves a sliver of hope, were disabused of any fancy notions quicksmart. And so it proved.
15. 64 min: Bayern are clearly after a statement victory.
16. GOAL! Arsenal 1-2 Bayern Munich (Robben 68); agg 2-7
17. GOAL! Arsenal 1-3 Bayern Munich (Douglas Costa 78); agg 2-8
18. GOAL! Arsenal 1-4 Bayern Munich (Vidal 80); agg 2-9
This is getting embarrassing now, ten men or no.
19. GOAL! Arsenal 1-5 Bayern Munich (Vidal 85); agg 2-10
This is painful.
20. FULL TIME: Arsenal 1-5 Bayern Munich (agg: 2-10)
The whistle. Half-arsed boos. Wenger walks down the tunnel looking utterly deflated. Bayern register their third 5-1 victory over Arsenal in a row. This is Arsenal’s biggest loss at the Emirates to date, and they go crashing out of the Champions League in embarrassing style...It’s one thing being ultimately outclassed - there’s no shame in losing to this Bayern Munich side - but another capitulating totally. The mood around the Emirates is resigned and funereal; it feels like the end of days at Arsenal.
-Scott Murray for The Guardian.
2. Good evening
pipe dream n. an illusory or fantastic plan, hope or story
Let’s put Arsenal’s task here in some sort of perspective.
...
And yet, and yet ... this is football! You never know. You just never know.
...
3. Never Say Never dept. A four-goal turnaround in European competition? Yes, it’s unlikely, but it’s not totally beyond the realms.
...
4. A pre-match word with Bayern boss Carlo Ancelotti, who is asked if he plans to show Arsenal any mercy. “No.”
5. And we’re off!
6. 13 min: ... Arsenal nearly score.
7. WHAT A GOAL! Arsenal 1-0 Bayern Munich (Walcott 20); agg 2-5
8. HALF TIME: Arsenal 1-0 Bayern Munich (agg: 2-5)
9. And we’re off again! Arsenal get the ball rolling for the second half. No changes. Three goals are required. They couldn’t, could they?
10. Penalty for Bayern Munich!
53 min: A little dink down the middle, and Lewandowski is suddenly in the Arsenal box, shaping to shoot. He’s barged over from behind by Koscielny, who is shown the yellow card after the referee points to the spot.
11. RED CARD! Koscielny (Arsenal)
12. 54 min: The referee changes his mind and shows Koscielny red!
13. GOAL! Arsenal 1-1 Bayern Munich (Lewandowski 55 pen); agg 2-6
Lewandowski, having earned the penalty kick, steps up, stutters, and slots the ball into the bottom right. There goes that one little scrap of hope, then.
14. 58 min: That Bayern equaliser was coming, though. The German champions, in the professional style, had clearly come out with a clear remit: ensure Arsenal, who had earned themselves a sliver of hope, were disabused of any fancy notions quicksmart. And so it proved.
15. 64 min: Bayern are clearly after a statement victory.
16. GOAL! Arsenal 1-2 Bayern Munich (Robben 68); agg 2-7
17. GOAL! Arsenal 1-3 Bayern Munich (Douglas Costa 78); agg 2-8
18. GOAL! Arsenal 1-4 Bayern Munich (Vidal 80); agg 2-9
This is getting embarrassing now, ten men or no.
19. GOAL! Arsenal 1-5 Bayern Munich (Vidal 85); agg 2-10
This is painful.
20. FULL TIME: Arsenal 1-5 Bayern Munich (agg: 2-10)
The whistle. Half-arsed boos. Wenger walks down the tunnel looking utterly deflated. Bayern register their third 5-1 victory over Arsenal in a row. This is Arsenal’s biggest loss at the Emirates to date, and they go crashing out of the Champions League in embarrassing style...It’s one thing being ultimately outclassed - there’s no shame in losing to this Bayern Munich side - but another capitulating totally. The mood around the Emirates is resigned and funereal; it feels like the end of days at Arsenal.
-Scott Murray for The Guardian.
