When the Highbury stadium was built 93 years ago, few would have predicted a European farewell along the lines of Wednesday night’s 1-0 win over Villarreal.
Amid the diving and the feigned injuries from the ”Yellow Submarine”, the star of the all-foreign north London outfit in maroon shirts was a man from Côte d’Ivoire, Kolo Touré, who scored the only goal as Arsenal fans began their long goodbye to the compact art-deco stadium.
In 1913, when Arsenal moved from an ammunition factory in Woolwich to their current location in Islington, Côte d’Ivoire was best known for elephants, malaria and French colonisation.
Now the African nation produces match-winners like Touré, whose brother, Kulu, isn’t a bad player either. And how Arsenal needed Kolo, who has stood in so effectively for injured international Sol Campbell at the heart of the defence.
After nearly nine years of finishing in the top two under Arsène Wenger, Arsenal have faltered in the Premiership this season, but reached the last four in Europe for the first time.
Villarreal, who put out British hopes Everton, Manchester United and Rangers, could yet triumph at their modest Madrigal stadium.
But for now Arsenal have the edge, a 1-0 win courtesy of Touré’s strike. We are headed for a monumental clash between Barcelona’s brilliance — their 1-0 win at Milan’s San Siro in the first leg was comfortable enough on Tuesday — and Arsenal’s young guns.
What a way to start life at the new Emirates stadium, a quick stroll from Highbury. What a way to end an era.
After his first-ever goal at Highbury, Touré added: ”I’m happy, I got the goal and I coped with Juan Roman Riquelme.”
The Argentine, rated the best player in the world after Henry and Ronaldinho, was desperately quiet. Bring on Barca.