Before the 2026 Final.. Arsenal Relives the 2006 Wound Against Barcelona

As the 2026 UEFA Champions League final between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal approaches, the British press has revisited one of the most painful moments in the history of the London club, when they played the 2006 final against Spanish side Barcelona, a match whose details remain vivid in the memory of fans to this day.

Nearly 20 years before the 2026 encounter, Arsenal was just steps away from achieving its first major European title, before losing the final 2-1 to Barcelona in the French capital, Paris.

The match witnessed a pivotal incident that changed the course of the game entirely, after German goalkeeper Jens Lehmann received an early red card in the 18th minute following his challenge against Samuel Eto'o, a decision that remains controversial to this day.

In a notable comment, Swedish player Henrik Larsson said that the presence of video technology would have changed the course of events, adding: "If VAR had existed at that time, we would have waited half an hour."

For his part, Ashley Cole pointed out that Arsenal players were ready to wait for any decision that could alter the result, confirming that playing with a reduced number for 72 minutes was the decisive factor in losing the final.

Defender Sol Campbell also expressed his disappointment with the result, considering that the team could have won if they had continued with a full squad, despite the difficulty of the situation in those crucial moments.

Meanwhile, French star Thierry Henry showed clear anger after the match, saying: "I don't know if the referee was wearing a Barcelona shirt, some decisions were very strange."

Despite Arsenal's strong start and taking the lead with a goal scored by Sol Campbell in the 37th minute, Barcelona managed to turn the score around in the second half.

Coach Frank Rijkaard made influential changes, the most notable being the introduction of Henrik Larsson, who made the difference by assisting two goals in the final minutes, before Juliano Belletti sealed the match with a 2-1 victory goal.

That match remains a significant milestone in Arsenal's history, with several of its former stars considering it a golden opportunity lost to achieve a historic European triumph, while Sol Campbell affirmed it was perhaps the most important chance that will not be repeated.

After that loss, Arsenal entered a long phase of European failures that lasted for years, leaving the memory of the 2006 final as an open wound in the club's and its fans' memory.