These second legs can take on a life of their own, which is much why the Champions League semi-finals have served up the highest level of club football over the past decade
Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone at the Emirates last night ahead of tonight’s clash with Arsenal
While Diego Simeone is trying to ratchet up a lot of noise around Arsenal, Mikel Arteta has been quietly repeating the same message over the past few days. He has reminded his players they have a home game to get to a Champions League final. The biggest fixture of their club careers, from the most familiar environment.
“It’s amazing to play this game at home,” Viktor Gyokeres said of the second leg. “We know what’s at stake, and of course, we have an amazing opportunity.” You might have a different opponent, though. If the setting sounds so enticingly simple, Simeone has been doing his best to complicate it.