'Sorry IPL, football fandom is different altogether. Arsenal’s EPL victory parade is proof'
Mukund Padmanabhan @muk22, professor of philosophy at Krea University and former Editor of The Hindu, writes
#ThePrintOpinion
https://t.co/2T3mU0QzEh
I remember watching Arsenal lose to Barcelona in 2006 and feeling like it was the end of an era. When the final whistle blew in Paris twenty years ago, we sensed that Henry, Pires, Ljungberg, and Campbell were on their way out. Winning the Champions League was meant to be a swan song for a group of Arsenal veterans and the capstone of Wenger’s decade-long project. That’s what made the loss so hard to take.
Today felt different. Arsenal lost, but it feels like a new era is beginning. The team pushed PSG’s coddled players to the absolute limit, completely neutralized their attack, and were denied a clear penalty. The loss hurts, but you can tell these players are totally committed to the club and to one another. They know there is so much more they can achieve. They can feel the fans are behind them.
Arsenal has all the ingredients to dominate for years to come… and the players know it. Just look at Rice’s expression. Winning the Premier League unlocked a new mentality in the team.
Tomorrow’s parade is a commencement.