Arsenal are through to the Champions League for the second time in their history.
20 years on from their famous win against Villarreal, there were a lot of parallels to draw from the game against Atletico Madrid on Tuesday evening.
A 1-0 win against Spanish opposition seems to be Arsenal’s preferred route to the Champions League final.
However, beyond that, there’s another interesting comparison to draw.
Indeed, much like 20 years ago, the big talking point this evening was the performance of a 19-year-old midfielder.
It is too early to make definitive claims, but Myles Lewis-Skelly’s recent performances in midfield are starting to feel familiar in a way Arsenal fans will recognise.
Arsenal are Champions League finalists, sum up your emotions in one sentence
Myles Lewis-Skelly emulates Cesc Fabregas
20 years ago, Cesc Fabregas was starring in the Arsenal midfield on the biggest stage of them all at the age of just 19.
Now, Myles Lewis-Skelly is doing exactly the same thing.
Lewis-Skelly has now started in midfield against Fulham and Atletico Madrid, and in both games he has not just coped, he has stood out. The performance against Atletico, on a Champions League stage, felt like a real statement. At 19, he looked composed, confident, and completely at home in one of the biggest matches of the season.
As Darren Bent said over the weekend, that is not normal.
Fabregas did exactly the same 20 years ago. He stepped into Arsenal’s midfield as a teenager and immediately took responsibility, dictating play and influencing games well beyond his years. Lewis-Skelly is not the same type of player stylistically, but the impact at the same age is hard to ignore.
This is where the comparison becomes interesting.
Fabregas was the perfect player for Arsene Wenger’s system. He understood the tempo, the positioning, and the technical demands of that midfield role. Lewis-Skelly is starting to look like a perfect fit for Mikel Arteta’s version of Arsenal.
He is comfortable receiving the ball under pressure, he moves it quickly, and he understands when to carry it forward. Against Atletico, he did not hide. He demanded the ball, made progressive passes, and contributed defensively with intelligence and energy.
That is exactly what Arteta asks from his midfielders.
Fabregas played a key role in Arsenal reaching the Champions League final in 2006. Now, nearly two decades later, Lewis-Skelly has helped guide Arsenal to another final at the same age. Two teenage midfielders, in different eras, both stepping up when it mattered most.
Fabregas couldn’t finish the job back in 2006, but, who knows? Perhaps Lewis-Skelly could go on step further this time around.
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