Champions League notes and quotes

THIERRY HENRY was content with Arsenal’s narrow victory over Villarreal in the semi-final of the Champions League at Highbury.

Kolo Toure scored a first-half goal to give the Gunners a 1-0 lead ahead of next Tuesday’s second leg in Spain while Henry had a goal disallowed following a contentious offside decision.

However, the French striker insists it was vital the north London side kept a clean sheet.

He told Sky Sports: “It’s a big result because we didn’t concede a goal.

“One-nil is better than 2-1 so we have shown we can keep a clean sheet.

“I would like to see them having a go at us and then we can play a bit of the counter attack because even at 1-0 they didn’t try anything or come at us.

“They are going to have a go at us and then we can play a bit.”

Henry expressed surprise at Villarreal's reaction to Arsenal's goal, expecting them to have posed more questions.

He did, however, admit they are only halfway through the tie and must come through what will be a tough challenge if they are to reach the Champions League final.

He continued on Sky Sports: “I thought we got the luck we deserved - but we are not in the final. We are halfway through and 1-0 up.

“They made it really difficult for us after we went 1-0 up, they didn’t really come at us, they were trying to get free-kicks around the box.

“We have shown we can do a job away from home but I think it is going to be very difficult.”

The 29-year-old also insisted his disallowed goal had been legal, saying: “I thought I wasn’t offside. It was a goal and thankfully Kolo scored for us.

“It’s a bit unlucky.

“I was 100% sure I was onside but what goes around comes around and hopefully we can get something over there.”

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Arsene Wenger believes he left a little bit of his soul behind at Highbury as he bade farewell on Arsenal’s last great European night at the famous old ground.

Highbury has been the club’s home for 93 years and has staged 22 seasons of European football.

But they move to their new Ashburton Grove home from the start of next season and Wenger planned for an emotional send off against the Spaniards.

“I feel part of my soul is in the stadium because many of the biggest moments of my sports career have been there.

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An Arsenal fan opened a telephone betting account with William Hill purely to place the biggest bet ever struck on a single Champions League game - a total of £217,000 - and he has added a further £78,000 bet involving both the Gunners and Middlesbrough in the UEFA Cup.

The man bet £145,000 that Arsenal will go through to the final, at odds of 4/9, giving him potential profit of £64,444. He followed that up with £72,000 on Arsenal winning last night's game, at 4/7 - potential profit of £41,142. Then he added a £78,000 double on Arsenal to progress, along with Middlesbrough in their UEFA Cup semi-final, both 4/9 shots, producing a potential profit of £84,740. “In all this man, who only opened an account with us today, has staked £295,000 in anticipation of receiving back close on half a million euro - £485,326 to be precise. I cannot recall ever seeing a comparable wager”.