An entrance and a whole lot of pre-match pleasantries passed, and it was finally time for the game as the players of both sides hopped and walked around the pitch trying to get into the groove.
And after a few checks from the officials, the referee raised his whistle to his lips, and in that sharp instant of silence before the shrill note pierced the air, the Emirates held its breath.
Then—peep—the Champions League semi-final was alive, Paris Saint-Germain kicking us off under the floodlit stage in north London.
The French side wasted no time in revealing their intent as most of the players, in their pink third kit, surged into Arsenal's half, a sweeping motion that had been rehearsed countless times this season.
Vitinha was first to touch, collecting from Ruiz in the centre circle as the latter bolted forward to occupy space in Arsenal's half.
