Boy wonder’s famous five

For the guts of an hour or so there on Tuesday night, we were all Gooners — all, at least, bar the supporters of AC Milan and, I presume, Spurs.

Four-nil down from the first leg in the San Siro and with their Champions League aspirations seemingly dead and buried, Arsenal staged a thrilling recovery which fell agonisingly short of the one goal they needed to level up the tie. But, in this star-crossed season for Arsene Wenger’s men, here at least was an heroic failure which carried a fair old feelgood factor.

Or at least it did for approximately another 24 hours, by which time Barcelona’s dazzling demolition of Bayer Leverkusen had reminded you of how right Cesc Fabregas was to swap the Emirates for the Nou Camp. And that’s Barca for you: they can simultaneously intoxicate and sober you up like no other side in world football.