Thirteen minutes. That's how close Arsenal were to the European Cup.
Against all the odds Arsène Wenger's side had won through to the Final for the first time in their history and so nearly wrote another chapter in the Club's glittering history.
The Gunners arrived in Paris having kept 10 successive clean sheets - a competition record. That despite playing the latter stages of the tournament with an inexperienced defence deprived of the injured Sol Campbell and Ashley Cole. The 21-year-old Philippe Senderos started every game from the Second Round onwards while right-footed midfielder Mathieu Flamini covered at left back.
Ajax, FC Thun and Sparta Prague were all put to the sword in the Group Stage, Real Madrid were overrun in their own backyard, Juventus were humbled by the teenage Cesc Fabregas, Villarreal were denied by Jens Lehmann's spot-kick heroics and, until the 77th minute of the Final, Arsenal led Frank Rijkaard's brilliant Barcelona with 10 men.
It had looked improbable 17 minutes in. Lehmann caught the trailing leg of Samuel Eto'o as the Cameroon striker jinked past him. Ludovic Giuly tapped into an empty net but referee Terje Hauge overruled the goal, awarded a free kick on the...
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