When Arsenal hit rock bottom - The four worst memories of a Gooner

1.) Heartbreak at the Grandest of Stages

Red Card to Jens Lehmann

Arsenal’s road to the 2006 Champions League final consisted of some of the biggest scalps in football, overpowering Real Madrid, Juventus and Villareal to meet might Barcelona in the final at Stade de France, Paris.

Thierry Henry had started the fixture in rampage mode, and could have scored twice in the first three minutes. The mercurial Jens Lehmann got himself sent off after 18 minutes and Arsenal were left with 10 men.

Robert Pires made way for Almunia, and things were looking down when Sol Campbell rose high and headed a blinder past Victor Valdes. Arsenal were suddenly leading and Gooners were hoping to park a bus right around half time. But Eto’o fired home 14 minutes from time, before Juliano Belletti put one in at the near post to end any speculation of extra time. Arsenal could never recover, and the tears that followed spoke of the pain that everyone endured. The story of ‘so close yet so far’ had another chapter to recount.