Ahead of the Champions League’s return this week, we thought we could go back and look at the Arsenal side that came runners up against Barcelona in the 2006 Champions League final and look at where they are now.
Arsenal narrowly lost 2-1 to Barcelona in a tough match between the two sides. Gunners goalkeeper Jens Lehmann was sent off relatively early on, after bringing down Samuel Eto’o, and the German became the first ever player to be sent off in a Champions League final.
10-men Arsenal surprising took the lead in the 37th minute, after Sol Campbell headed home from a Thierry Henry free kick, and did well to hold on to get to the half time whistle.
Henry almost scored a second for the Gunners, when the Frenchman struck a low shot into the bottom corner, but it was well saved by Barca keeper Victor Valdes.
That chance would prove to be costly for Arsenal as Barcelona got an equaliser with just 14 minutes left on the clock, as Henrik Larsson played through Eto’o, who slotted the ball home neatly at the near post past substitute keeper Manuel Almunia.
It was another substitute who grabbed the winner just five minutes later, as another Larsson pass found the feet of Juliano Belletti, who smashed the ball in from a tight angle to hand Barcelona the Champions League trophy for the second ever time.
It’s time to look back at the lineup and ask ‘Where are they now?’:
