The last time we were here, on Tuesday night, Arsenal enjoyed surely the finest occasion in Emirates Stadium history. The 3-0 win over Real Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final will live forever; the return is eagerly awaited on Wednesday.
It was always going to be lower-key here, Mikel Arteta making five changes to his team and watching them labour. The blood and thunder of the Madrid tie, the sheer drama, was missing.
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