Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger encountered a comical moment involving a lift upon his return to the Emirates Stadium during the Champions League semi-final against PSG, where his former side lost 1-0.
The iconic former Gunners boss made a notable visit to the North London ground for the first leg of the significant Champions League semi-final against PSG. However, his arrival at the stadium wasn`t entirely smooth, as he nearly ran into a problem.
Wenger, the 75-year-old Frenchman, arrived at his former home ground via the players` entrance, accompanied by his daughter Lea, dressed in a navy suit. He was promptly directed towards a lift after acknowledging someone he knew.
However, upon entering the lift, Wenger was momentarily distracted by spotting Stuart MacFarlane, the Arsenal club photographer. This distraction led the veteran manager to not notice the lift doors beginning to close. His daughter Lea attempted to stop the closing doors with her hand, but it was unsuccessful.
Fortunately, the lift`s safety mechanism detected Wenger`s shoulder and stopped automatically, preventing him from being trapped. The former boss then shared a handshake and a hug with MacFarlane.
Reacting to the incident, one fan humorously commented: “How can the lift just shut on Wenger?”
Later, Wenger was seen in the executive seating area at the Emirates, engaging in conversation with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
Currently serving as FIFA`s Chief of Global Football Development, Wenger managed Arsenal for 1,234 matches between 1996 and 2018. During his tenure, he guided the Gunners to three Premier League titles and secured seven FA Cup victories. His closest attempt at winning the Champions League was in 2006, when Arsenal were defeated by Barcelona in the final held in Paris.
Match Analysis: Arsenal`s Performance Against PSG
Arsenal face a challenging second leg after a narrow 1-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the crucial home leg of their Champions League semi-final.
Ousmane Dembele silenced the Emirates just three minutes in with a superb first-time shot that went in off the post.
Following a shaky opening, Arsenal took about 20 minutes to find their rhythm. Once they settled, they started to gain momentum.
Early in the second half, Arsenal thought they had equalized through Mikel Merino, but the goal was disallowed for offside after a lengthy VAR review.
Gianluigi Donnarumma in the PSG goal made spectacular saves from Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard. David Raya also made a crucial save from Goncalo Ramos, helping keep the deficit to 1-0.
The tie is still alive, with at least 90 minutes remaining, but the return leg away from home will be challenging.
Mikel Arteta`s current team is hoping to make it to the final in Munich next month, aiming to achieve what Wenger couldn`t.
