Arsene Wenger has defended Arsenal’s post-match celebrations following their Champions League semi-final victory over Atletico Madrid, describing the scenes as 'absolutely normal' while urging the squad to quickly refocus on the challenges ahead.
Arsenal reach first Champions League final since 2006
The Gunners secured a 2-1 aggregate win over Atletico Madrid to book their place in the Champions League final for the first time since 2006. After a 1-1 draw in the first leg in Madrid, Bukayo Saka scored the decisive goal at the Emirates Stadium, sending Arsenal through to the final scheduled for May 30 in Budapest.
The full-time whistle triggered jubilant celebrations among players and fans, with the Arsenal squad spending considerable time in front of their supporters. However, some rival fans and pundits questioned whether the festivities were excessive, with Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney suggesting they were 'a little bit too heavy.'
Rooney's criticism and Wenger's response
Speaking on Prime Video, Rooney, who won the Champions League with Manchester United in 2008, said: 'They haven’t won it yet. I think the celebrations are a little bit too heavy. Celebrate when you win… but no, they deserve it.'
In response, former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger dismissed the criticism, stating that the celebrations were entirely appropriate. Speaking on beIN SPORTS, Wenger said: 'I think Arsenal wanted it a bit more than Atletico and they were more decisive in the duels. We said before the game that to go to the final they needed to be strong defensively, and they didn’t concede a goal tonight. They played a team who for 45 minutes absolutely needed to score a goal, and they didn’t give them a chance. I believe it shows how strong Arsenal are defensively and how disciplined they are, as well as a bit the limitations of Atletico, who were not good enough in the final third. In the end, it’s a well-deserved win for Arsenal; there’s no doubt they were the better team over the two legs. They celebrate well tonight, which is normal, but you want to focus already on the final and the next games. The celebration is deserved and happiness is normal – absolutely normal – but the next step is to go to the final and win it.'
Arteta's pride and Premier League ambitions
Mikel Arteta, who became the first Arsenal manager since Wenger to reach a Champions League final, expressed his pride after the match. He said: 'It’s an amazing night to live this kind of moment with the players and everyone at the club; it’s an incredible feeling. It makes sense with all of the things we do and we go through, and I see so many happy faces and proud of what we’re doing. It was unbelievable right from the beginning – the supporters waiting for us outside the stadium, the energy and passion that they put in, so it was just great to win this. They set the standards and we’ve tried to catch up with them. We struggled so many years to give that joy back, and the pride in their eyes was beautiful to watch.'
Before the Champions League final, Arsenal will focus on clinching their first Premier League title in 22 years. The Gunners currently hold a five-point lead over second-placed Manchester City, with their next match against London rivals West Ham on Sunday. City failed to close the gap to three points after a thrilling 3-3 draw with Everton on Monday night.
