Arsenal and Inter Milan might be assembly for simply the third time within the Champions League on Wednesday (20:00 GMT).
They final confronted off 21 years in the past when an unbelievable Arsenal facet turned as much as the San Siro and
That group-stage win was one among Arsenal’s perfect underneath Arsene Wenger and helped propel the Gunners to their unbeaten Premier League title.
That is how the evening went down, and the way a number of fortunate Arsenal followers in Milan remembered it…
Arsenal backside of Group B and needing a win
After a 3-0 loss to Inter at Highbury and a 2-1 defeat in Kyiv, Arsenal had been in hassle in Group B.
Failure to beat Inter on matchday 4, coupled with an unfavourable outcome elsewhere, would have knocked them out of the Champions League.
Regardless of the danger of failure, supporter Mark recalled Luton airport being full of “Gooners” at a “ridiculously early time”.
Some Arsenal followers made the journey to Milan a number of days upfront together with Man McIntyre, who spent the evening earlier than on an Inter fan’s ground.
Arsenal might have been flying within the league with 10 wins from 13, however they had been dealing with an Inter facet who had already crushed them and had much better European Cup pedigree.
The then two-time winners had reached the semi-finals of the Champions League the season prior and had been solely knocked out on away objectives by eventual winners and fierce rivals AC Milan.
Two groups at peak of their powers
To the sport, which began in misty, drizzly situations.
Each Richard Ryan and Kelvin advised BBC Sport they’d unintentionally purchased the unsuitable tickets and located themselves within the residence finish, desperately attempting to cover their Arsenal allegiances.
The duo’s stealth was known as upon within the twenty fifth minute when underdogs Arsenal opened the scoring by means of Thierry Henry.
The Frenchman silenced a refrain of booing residence followers by receiving the ball off Ashley Cole and side-footing residence from the sting of the field.
Henry then continued to bop handed Inter’s defenders at will, however the hosts responded and had been stage earlier than the break when Vieri’s shot deflected wickedly off Sol Campbell, was tipped on to the bar by keeper Jens Lehmann however bounced in.
Arsenal supporter Dr Dave was in an Irish pub in Venice “stuffed stuffed with Inter followers”. He stated: “We had been 1-0 up after which there was a five-minute energy reduce – the lights got here again on with the rating at 1-1 and the place erupted.”
Arsenal rescued with ‘unbelievable second half’
With the rating 1-1 at half-time, Arsenal had been heading out of the Champions League, and but they produced an impressed second-half efficiency – one of many membership’s finest ever in Europe.
“I bear in mind the primary half was fairly even however within the second half, capturing down in direction of our nook, Henry, [Robert] Pires, Edu and co. ran riot, sending us ecstatic!” added Man Wisemen, who was additionally on the sport.
Arsenal retook the lead inside 5 minutes of the restart when Henry reduce inside and located Freddie Ljungberg, who fired into the underside nook.
It was then a case of Gunners dominance as they regarded for a 3rd and a two-goal cushion, and it will definitely got here within the eighty fifth minute by means of an Henry stunner.
The Frenchman collected the ball from inside his personal half, charged into the field, beat Javier Zanetti with a trick, after which smashed one into the underside nook.
Within the Inter part Richard had already been kicked out for celebrating Ljungberg’s objective, whereas Kelvin “went bonkers” for Henry’s strike however managed to stay round by “talking just a little Italian”.
Three minutes later and Arsenal grabbed one other as Henry’s cross missed Ljungberg within the center however fell kindly for Edu, who handed into an open objective.
Chaos, confusion and delirium for Arsenal supporters.
One minute later and the beating was full when Jeremie Aliadiere, on as a late substitute, slipped the ball to Robert Pires for quantity 5.
Arsenal’s then largest ever win within the Champions League put them second in Group B, one level behind Lokomotiv Moscow who they beat 2-0 two weeks later to undergo as group winners.
Wenger stated the Inter outcome was whereas Ashley Cole stated it was like England’s 5-1 win over Germany “however even higher”.
“Henry was unplayable that evening and it is most likely my favorite away match ever,” added Man McIntyre.
“Twenty-four hours in Milan, I’ll always remember it.”
Arsenal ended up being knocked out on the quarter-final stage by Chelsea, however within the league that season they had been unbeatable.
After the Inter match they received 16 of their ultimate 27 Premier League video games, lifting the title, and with it the Invincibles had been born.
