FOOTBALL DAILY: Boycotts called for Israeli games, McGrath making 'grown men cry', Keane linked with UK return, and Arsenal book Budapest ticket
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Football on Off the Ball. I definitely have a question about you. Am I okay saying you're committed to Ireland? And he said yes, no problem. So he is in our frame. He might be one that we would call in in June.
Join in the obsession. Subscribe now at offtheball.com. Off the Ball's Football Daily. Hello and welcome along to Wednesday's Football Daily. I'm Phil Egan. Coming up today, we'll look back at last night's action in the Champions League as Arsenal booked their spot in the final for the first time in 20 years. Who'll join them? We look ahead to Bayern's clash with PSG in Munich tonight and is Victor Ossian-Vuna Ireland's next great hope? But first, Arsenal are into the Champions League final for the first time in 20 years and just the second time in the club's history after a 2-1 aggregate win over Atletico Madrid. But Caio Saka scored just before half-time to give the Gunners a 1-0 second leg win in North London.
Boss Mikel Arteta says it was a special night.
We made history again together and I cannot be happier and prouder for everybody that is involved in this football club. The boys did an incredible job and after 20 years and for the second time in our history, we are back in the Champions League final.
Arteta has won the FA Cup in his time as Arsenal manager and earlier this season his side lost 2-0 to Manchester City in the League Cup final. He says he feels his side are close to realising a long-term ambition.
You have to be sometimes lucky, things have to go your way. We put obviously so much work, passion and belief into what we do and today we got rewarded to have an incredible day in Budapest in a few weeks.
Arsenal defender Riccardo Calafiori says it's a great achievement to qualify for the final in Budapest, which is on the 30th of May.
You can imagine it's something huge. I think 20 years ago was the last time. I think we deserve it. We're playing everything right now, the league and the Champions League, so we have full energy.
What significant achievement did Arsenal accomplish in the Champions League?
On the football show last night, writer and broadcaster Dion Fanning joined Owen Sheehan and Arthur O'Dea and he said despite the game not being the most entertaining, it was still a huge achievement for Arteta.
On the continental front, this is another step forward by this Mikel Arteta team.
No, it is. And it's one of those things that you need if you're a manager of Arsenal, if you're a supporter of Arsenal. It is about having those occasions. And I think even Arsenal's title charges a lot of the times have ended very disappointingly and not even in a kind of epic way. So you need to... Whatever happens, it is about just creating those things that you actually feel something and you have some sort of memories of whether you win or lose them. So to get to a Champions League final, even after a game as terrible as this one, is something that you can't take away from Arteta.
If Arsenal end up winning either of these pieces of silverware, I think the return of Kai Osaka... He's going to go down as a really important final chapter in this season. They've been without him for a lot of this year. He has come back fit and firing, but also crucially at just the right time. He has scored the winner tonight. It is his goal that has put Arsenal into the Champions League final. He was the star man on Saturday evening as well to put Arsenal in a position to, I guess, celebrate Manchester City's slip yesterday evening. He is their key man. He's not had his best season, but that'll all be forgotten about if he has an all-time or if a May.
Well, it will be. And he's so important for them. And, you know, he missed the City game and then he's back. And I think now what this does for Arsenal, you know, it should help them. Like, there are still some tough games to negotiate, but... I feel that winning the two games after the City game have been huge for Arsenal. They really have. And I don't think the City team that you see this season is that equipped to be under that kind of pressure as we saw last night. And Saka has been so important in putting that pressure back on them.
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Chapters
4 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:00–1:58
2
What significant achievement did Arsenal accomplish in the Champions League?
1:58–4:34
3
How did Mikel Arteta react to Arsenal's Champions League final qualification?
4:34–6:47
4
What are the implications of Arsenal's performance for their long-term ambitions?
6:47–13:30
Speakers
7 identifiedMore from OTB Football
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