Our member Eric Ong shares his visit to The Arsenal to watch the team take on Atletico Madrid in May 2026.
North London Forever
It was arguably the biggest game of the Emirates Stadium era and everything about that
night lived up to it and more. Champions League Semi-Final 2 nd Leg against Atletico
Madrid with the tie finely poised, what a night it promised to be.
Huge props to Dhanesh and Arsenal Singapore for their sterling work behind the
scenes, fulfilling the dreams of countless Singapore Gooners over the years. Thanks to
him, I was privileged to take my place in the Clock End to play my role as one of 57,000
Gooners to roar on our team to Budapest.
Whatever The Weather
As Gooners, we have ridden through every storm our team has been on this
momentous journey, or as Mikel refers to, our fun boat. And here we were, in the merry
month of May, top of the league and with a home 2 nd leg in the Champions League
semi-final to come, with our destiny firmly in our hands. This night on the 5 th of May
2026, it was typical London weather, cloudy, breaking into a persistent drizzle in the first
half, but nothing could stop us Gooners from getting behind our team, whatever the
weather.
These Streets Are Our Own
It started more than two hours before kickoff with the call-out started by REDaction
Gooners to pack the streets outside Emirates Stadium to welcome the Team Bus. From
Holloway Road, through to Hornsey and Benwell Road around The Bear roundabout, it
was absolutely heaving and packed with Gooners in fine voice. Red flares fired up as
our Team Buses crawled in. As Mikel and the players have remarked since, they have
never seen anything like that before and I’m sure it played a part in fueling the energy
and determination for the night ahead.
And Our Hearts, Will Leave You Never
From pre-match through to every single of the 90+ minutes, we were truly One Team,
our Hearts beating as one as we sang, chanted, clapped, cursed and cheered. We
roared on every tackle, every block and every clearance. Erupted when our starboy
Bukayo tapped home minutes before halftime for a precious lead. One-Nil to the
Arsenal on a European night under the lights does have a special ring to it and none
more so than on this most momentous of nights. Our game management was top-notch
and as the minutes wound down, we knew there was only one winner and that was the
Arsenal.
My Blood Will Forever, Run Through The Stone
We’re on our way, we’re on our way, we’re going to Budapest, we’re on our way!
That feeling at full-time was one of pure elation and ecstasy. Gooners were hugging
each other all over with this overwhelming sense of pride and happiness. We bleed red
and white and tonight we shown that together, we can run through any obstacle in front
of us.
The job is not done yet, but with faith and the backing of every Gooner in the world, we
know that we can make May 2026 one of the best ever months in the history of this
great club, one that all of us are proud to call, one of our own. COYG!!!
