In London, the moment Kai's goal hit the back of the net, the city erupted.
Arsenal fans in pubs, homes, and fan zones across the capital leaped from their seats as one. Beer flew into the air, scarves and flags were hurled skyward, and deafening roars shook the streets.
The collective passion of thousands upon thousands of supporters made it feel as though the entire city was trembling with excitement.
This was the Champions League final, and Arsenal had taken the lead. The outpouring of emotion was uncontrollable.
"I told you! I told you all!" one fan shouted. "That 2011 transfer for Kai was the greatest deal in Arsenal's history!"
"Hahahaha! Who would've thought the quiet kid who debuted in Henry's shadow would become our captain?"
"I love him! No one comes close!"
"With this, I can already feel it. We're going to win our first Champions League!"
"If Kai helps us lift the trophy tonight, he instantly becomes the greatest captain in Arsenal's history. No debate!"
🎶 "Ohhhhhh Kai, Kai, he's our pride!
Born to fight in red and white!
Pass or strike, he makes 'em cry,
Arsenal's star—our captain Kai!" 🎶
(clap-clap, clap-clap-clap)
"Our boy Kai!"
(clap-clap, clap-clap-clap)
"Our boy Kai!
The excitement was boundless. Scoring first in a Champions League final had pushed every Arsenal supporter into a state of pure euphoria.
. . .
In a hotel room in New York, Matt Damon punched the air repeatedly.
"What did I say?! Kai is Arsenal's saviour!" he roared, his face flushed with joy. "Ha! Ha! Ha!"
His assistant tried to interrupt. "Sir, we really need to—"
"Get lost!" Matt Damon waved him away without taking his eyes off the screen. "Nothing is dragging me away from this match. If I miss it, I'll regret it for the rest of my life!"
. . .
Meanwhile, in a private manor in London, Prince Harry — wearing a full Arsenal home jersey — was running back and forth in front of the television like an excited schoolboy. Prince William, an Aston Villa supporter, watched his younger brother with a mixture of exasperation and reluctant amusement. He knew Harry had invited him specifically to witness this moment.
. . .
Back at the Berlin Olympic Stadium, the on-pitch celebration was equally emotional.
Arsène Wenger rushed forward and pulled Kai into a tight embrace, patting his back firmly. "That's it! Now bring the trophy home."
Pat Rice was next. He wrapped an arm around Kai's shoulders and planted a proud kiss on his forehead.
"My boy, you are my pride!" he said emotionally. "Now go out there and show the whole world who you are!"
Kai nodded heavily, his eyes burning with determination, before turning and jogging back onto the pitch.
In contrast, the Juventus players wore grim expressions as they watched Kai return to his position. Conceding so early — less than ten minutes in — was a bitter blow. Their start had been poor, and the sight of Pirlo being pressured by the young Arsenal captain only added to their unease.
Pirlo refused to accept that he had been suppressed.
Pirlo was highly experienced; that much was true. Yet on this night, that very experience seemed to be working against him. His footballing wisdom told him to start cautiously, to probe the opponent and strike only when the chance was clearest.
No one had warned him that Kai — a Champions League rookie — would throw caution to the wind and launch such an aggressive, high-intensity press from the very first minute.
And yet, it had worked. Arsenal had scored first.
This was what truly annoyed Pirlo.
"Settle down, everyone," Pirlo called out, turning to his teammates. "They won't keep playing like that forever."
The Juventus players nodded, their expressions focused. It was only one goal. Their morale remained intact.
. . .
After the celebrations died down, Juventus restarted the match. Morata kicked the ball off, and the Italian side quickly settled into their rhythm, attempting to control the tempo through patient build-up play.
Kai remained vigilant in the centre circle.
"Stay in position!" he reminded his teammates. "Juventus will try to build from the back and then strike."
As if on cue, Pogba began advancing with the ball. The tall Frenchman was a constant threat — powerful, technically gifted, and capable of producing moments of magic. Kai refused to be drawn out too easily, knowing that Pirlo was lurking behind, ready to exploit any gap left in Arsenal's defensive shape.
The pressure from Arsenal's midfield trio — Kai, Cazorla, and Wilshere — was relentless. Pogba found himself constantly harassed as he crossed into Arsenal's half.
Juventus's attacks were measured rather than frantic, but their ability to suddenly change tempo demanded constant concentration. For a full eleven minutes after the goal, they managed only two shots on target.
Then, just as the match appeared to be settling, Juventus struck.
A sharp, incisive pass sliced through the midfield, bypassing Kai's position on the left and finding Vidal. The Chilean midfielder took a quick touch, feinted to go past Koscielny, and drove toward the penalty area.
Koscielny reacted decisively, bringing Vidal down just outside the box.
Cüneyt Çakır blew his whistle and pointed to the spot — a free kick in a dangerous area, just
on the edge of the penalty area. Koscielny received a yellow card.
Kai's expression grew solemn as Pirlo stepped up to take the set piece.
Pirlo stood over the ball with a calm, almost relaxed expression. This was one of his favourite positions — a place from which he had scored many times before. He believed he had a genuine chance to restore parity.
The free kick was awarded just 17 metres from the goal.
Pirlo stood confidently over the ball, with Paul Pogba positioned beside him as a decoy. Navas was busy organising the wall, directing the players into position.
"A little more to the left!" the goalkeeper shouted.
As one of Arsenal's taller players, Kai naturally took his place in the wall. Vidal stood directly in front of him, eyeing the narrow gap between Kai and Mustafi.
Kai and Mustafi instinctively shifted closer together, closing the space. Vidal refused to give up and tried to squeeze through, but Kai tensed his body, refusing to yield an inch. Frustrated, Vidal eventually shoved his way past Mustafi instead.
The referee blew the whistle.
Both Pogba and Pirlo took a few steps back. The tension in the stadium was palpable.
Martin Tyler: "Pirlo has scored five goals from 12 set pieces this season — a fifty percent conversion rate. This is a very dangerous moment."
Pogba made the first run, feinting over the ball. The Arsenal wall shifted slightly. Then Pirlo struck it cleanly.
The ball curved beautifully through the air.
Kai jumped with perfect timing, spreading his arms and shoulders to maximise his reach. He felt the ball brush against his shoulder, but when he turned, the ball had already found the back of the net.
Pirlo spun away in celebration, sprinting toward the corner flag with his fist pumping.
"Gooooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaal!!! Pirlo! Pirlo! Pirlo!"
Martin Tyler: "What a strike! Pirlo equalises with a magnificent free kick. The ball took a slight deflection off Kai's shoulder, which wrong-footed Navas. Juventus have pulled level just twelve minutes into the final!"
The Juventus fans exploded with joy, while the Arsenal supporters fell into painful silence.
Kai stared at the goal in frustration. Navas rose to his feet, clearly wanting to vent, but upon seeing it was his captain who had been involved, he held his tongue.
The goal had reset the match. Juventus were back in the game, and their confidence surged.
On the touchline, Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri was visibly energised. Leading the team to the Champions League final in his first season had already been a success. Now, with the score level, he sensed a genuine opportunity to create history.
Arsène Wenger, by contrast, wore a look of quiet regret. Pirlo's set-piece quality was world-class — almost impossible to defend perfectly.
He also couldn't help thinking how valuable it would be if Kai could develop similar free-kick accuracy. While Kai's powerful long-range shots were devastating when unexpected, they lacked the precision and guile of Pirlo's deliveries when the opposition was prepared.
Pirlo's goal not only restored parity but also significantly boosted Juventus's confidence.
. . .
With the score level, Juventus's attacking momentum became formidable. Pogba and Pirlo, acting as dual playmakers, began dictating the flow of the game and supplying dangerous balls to the forwards. Kai was covering every blade of grass, but even he was struggling to contain their combined creativity.
. . .
. .
.
In the 37th minute, Juventus struck again.
A cross was whipped into the box with pace and precision. Morata timed his run perfectly, rising above the defenders and meeting the ball with a firm header that left the goalkeeper no chance.
Juventus 2–1 Arsenal.
The momentum shifted immediately. The Juventus players moved back into position with calm efficiency, while Arsenal were forced to reset under growing pressure.
In the commentary box, the tone changed almost instantly. Praise for Arsenal faded as analysis turned toward control, experience, and game management.
Italian commentator: "Compared to Juventus, Arsenal are still too young. In matches of this magnitude, experience is crucial. Juventus has won two Champions League titles and holds the record for the most final appearances. They understand this stage better than most. Arsenal are still learning what it takes to manage these moments."
. . .
On Sky Sports, Martin Tyler and Alan Smith studied the replay and the midfield shape.
Alan Smith: "This is worrying. Arsenal's midfield is being overrun. Kai is basically operating as a lone defensive midfielder against two elite distributors in Pogba and Pirlo. That is a huge physical and tactical burden. He is covering ground, closing lanes, trying to screen the back line, but there is only so much one player can do. Arsenal need a structural fix, and they need it quickly."
On the pitch, Kai's expression was grim. Conceding the second goal had left him deeply anxious. He had already run through countless tactical adjustments in his mind, but none seemed effective in the moment.
Cazorla jogged over to him.
"We should go back to what we did at the start," he said.
Kai looked at him, surprised.
"Run," Cazorla said, making a running motion with his hands. "That early goal proved it works. We can't let them settle. We need to press high and aggressively again. We don't have time for complex adjustments right now — this is the simplest and most effective way."
Kai thought for a moment, then nodded firmly. "Alright. We'll press like before. I'll join the attack when the moment is right."
Cazorla grinned. "Just don't get carried away and leave us exposed at the back."
Kai shot back with a small smile, "You don't need to remind me."
. . .
When the match restarted, Juventus once again tried to build patiently from the back. But Arsenal immediately reignited their ferocious high press.
"It's starting again!" Pirlo muttered with clear displeasure. He hated being chased around his own half like this.
Yet Arsenal showed no mercy. They pressed relentlessly, giving Juventus almost no time on the ball.
When Pogba received possession and tried to advance, Sánchez dropped deep and harried him relentlessly. Pogba stubbornly pushed forward, but the Chilean stuck to him like glue.
Is this guy serious? Pogba thought in disbelief.
Suddenly, a foot appeared from the side and cleanly hooked the ball away.
Pogba turned in shock to see Kai already surging forward with the ball. Sánchez, running alongside, shouted breathlessly, "Kai, if you were any later, I really wouldn't have been able to keep up."
Kai quickly passed the ball to Cazorla, who had shifted into a more advanced position. He then turned and urged his teammates forward.
Martin Tyler: "Arsenal are pressing again! They've turned up the intensity once more!"
Paul Merson (excitedly): "This is what Arsenal do best! Look at them — they've turned into a pack of wolves! Relentless movement, constant pressure, biting at the throat, and refusing to let go. It's thrilling to watch!"
This high-intensity pressing could not be sustained for long due to the immense physical demands, but very few teams in world football could withstand it when Arsenal committed fully.
Even Juventus was struggling.
"Go! Keep pressing!"
Kai stood tall in the centre circle, his tackling and interception abilities fully unleashed. He had become an impenetrable midfield gate — winning ball after ball and quickly distributing it forward to launch new attacks. With Kai anchoring the midfield, Arsenal could press with confidence and freedom.
Juventus and their fans looked stunned. They had never faced such efficient, coordinated pressing. Both ground and aerial routes seemed almost completely cut off. Kai acted like a wall in front of them, his anticipation and positioning creating wave after wave of pressure.
Under this constant harassment, Juventus were forced into hurried clearances, often losing control of where the ball would land. Arsenal had seized the rhythm of the game.
Even Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri stood on the sideline, visibly impressed by Kai's defensive dominance.
. .
Arsenal's attacking intensity remained high for a full ten minutes. Then, in the dying moments of the first half, they found their reward.
Kai looked at the clock — only two minutes remained. Arsenal could not afford to go into the break trailing. He made a decisive signal to his teammates.
"Push up!"
At that moment, Kai committed forward. Arsenal went all-in, launching one final, furious assault to equalise before half-time.
Alan Smith: "Kai is stepping up! Arsenal are throwing everything forward in these final moments!"
With an extra man in attack and another creative passing option, the pressure on Juventus's defence increased dramatically.
"Push out! Get tight!" Bonucci shouted, breathing heavily.
The Juventus defenders were exhausted. Ten minutes of relentless pressing had drained them. These Arsenal players seemed like machines — never stopping, never tiring.
Kai received the ball and chipped a clever pass over the defence toward the left side. Suárez instinctively moved toward it, but at the last moment, he heard Kai's sharp clap and held his run.
The Juventus defenders, seeing Suárez close to the ball, raised their hands and slowed down, claiming offside.
But Suárez never touched it.
The ball dropped perfectly.
A figure burst forward from deep — Alexis Sánchez. Taking full advantage of the defenders' momentary lapse, he raced onto the loose ball and found himself one-on-one with Buffon.
Sánchez stayed composed and calmly slotted the ball underneath the goalkeeper's armpit and into the net.
Goal!
The referee pointed to the centre circle.
Martin Tyler: "It's a goal! Suárez didn't touch it! Sánchez came from behind — perfectly onside! Arsenal have equalised right at the end of the first half!"
The Berlin Olympic Stadium exploded in noise. In the final moments of the first half, Arsenal had fought their way back level.
The score was now Juventus 2-2 Arsenal.
Martin Tyler: "What a half! Four goals, end-to-end action, and incredible intensity. Both teams have produced a spectacle worthy of a Champions League final. The second half promises to be even more dramatic."
. . .
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