On This Day – 17th May
Arsenal lost 2-1 to Barcelona in the Champions League Final on this day in 2006, after only conceding twice in the previous twelve matches en route to the Final in Paris.
The main talking point of the game came in the 18th minute when Arsenal’s goalkeeper Jens Lehmann rushed out and pulled Samuel Eto’o to the ground just outside the penalty. One of Eto’o’s team mates put the ball into the back of the net but referee had already blown his whistle. The referee sent Lehmann off and Robert Pires was sacrificed and replaced by Arsenal’s substitute goalkeeper Manuel Almunia.
Sol Campbell headed in a free kick by Thierry Henry on 37 minutes to give Arsenal the lead. Club captain Henry then missed two chances that he would normally put away with ease as the pressure of the Final took its toll on the Arsenal players.
Samuel Eto’o and Juliano Belletti both beat Manuel Almunia at the near post in the 76th and 80th minutes to turn the game around and win Europe’s biggest prize for the Catalan club.
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