Arsenal celebrations were normal, says Wenger, but the final comes next

Arsenal reached their first Champions League final since 2006, and the celebrations at the Emirates Stadium were immediate and loud after Bukayo Saka scored the decisive goal against Atletico Madrid. Wayne Rooney thought they had gone a bit far. Arsene Wenger did not see it that way, saying the reaction was deserved and that happiness was normal after such a night.

Why Wenger backed the reaction

Rooney’s view was blunt. “They haven't won it yet. I think the celebrations are a little bit too heavy. Celebrate when you win…but no, they deserve it,” he told metro.co.uk.

Wenger’s reply was just as clear. “The celebration is deserved and happiness is normal – absolutely normal – but the next step is to go to the final and win in,” he said. That is the cleanest reading of the debate. Arsenal have not lifted the trophy, but they have earned the right to enjoy reaching the final.

Arteta called it “an amazing night”, and that fits the mood around the club. The noise was not coming from nowhere, it was coming after a real achievement.

The win also showed Arsenal's control

There was more to the night than emotion. Wenger pointed to the way Arsenal handled the tie, and the numbers back that up. They did not concede in the second leg, and across this season’s Champions League they have conceded just 4 goals in 8 matches while winning all 8.

That is a strong platform, and it is why the celebrations felt earned rather than overblown. Bukayo Saka has 3 Champions League goals this season, 7 in the Premier League, and his decisive strike at the Emirates was the latest example of his importance in big matches.

The next step is simple enough. Arsenal will play the final on May 30 in Budapest, and whatever was said after the semi-final, that is the only result that will settle the job.