Kick each ball, Mikel Arteta told the supporters of Arsenal. Khvicha kvaratskhelia kicking would have been more useful. During the period that formed this first leg, and possibly the draw, the warrior of Paris Saint-Germain on the wing was unplayable.
As part of his cry for the fight before the competition, Arteta had urged the fans of the club to 'bring their boots'. But even if each of them had strung and added to the search to fight Kvaratskhelia, he would still have found a way to tie Arsenal tie.
There is something from Jack Grealishe to the 24-year-old. Socks rolled down, bulging, shiny calves. However, that is where the comparisons end.
When Kvaratskhelia received the ball in the fourth minute wide on the left, he did not check inside, he cut in, with goal. He didn't walk, he ran.
With that Arsenal ran scared. He didn't look to just keep the ball, he put him in danger. The reward was the opening goal of Ousmane Dembele.
It was a ruthless team that moved forward from behind – hot butter is known to resist the knives with greater steadfastness – but it was the incision of Kvaratskhelia that opened the defense of Arsenal.
The home team had to find a way to stop bleeding. One less was two and Kvaratskhelia still won a corner. Two became three – Jurrien Timber, William Saliba and Bukayo Saka – and he should have gained a penalty for Timber's desperate tugboat. When Arteta looked at the stands and waved his arms, you wondered if he asked for reinforcements.
At this stage – just 20 minutes, no less – Arsenal was out of breath and out of ideas. Instead, Timber decided to kick Kvaratskhelia – he didn't have much joy with a football – and, at least for a few welcome minutes, it reduced the threat.
But if the left hook doesn't get you, the right one might be. Feed for Doue. Like all of us, he had seen the show early. Now the spotlight was on him, but it was Arsenal who were blinded by the lights. Or rather, Doue's feet.
They are so fast, defenders must have the feeling that they see stars, and Doue is sure that. There is currently no exciting teenager in world football. And yes, that explanation is good for Lamine Yamal from Barcelona. His first involvement was scissors that sent two arsenal sweaters for a haircut.
It was all very nice to watch, at least from the neutral seats. The Talisman of Arsenal, Saka, among 60,000 others of an Arsenal conviction, did not enjoy the spectacle much. And so, to his merit, he decided to steal the cloak of Kvaratskhelia and turn the direction of the game.
Saka has generally not had a vintage year. Not that you would know from the fanfare who has accompanied his recent return. Previously, they were 13 goals of 44 games for club and country in the 12 months before.
He escaped censorship from the euro because of a goal to keep England in the tournament in the quarterfinals. And that is what he has existed lately, moments. As he did in Madrid fourteen days ago, and as he did on his return from injury to Fulham at the start of this month. Here was still a moment that he had to understand.
Arsenal lived, too late, and Saka was the beating pulse of their revival. The first half closed while he did what Kvaratskhelia had done earlier – run quickly and run ahead.
His drive and desire led to a chance of Gabriel Martinelli, who was a litter size from the same. Martinelli, the least announced of the shopers who could be seen, then only went on goal to shoot directly to Gianluigi Donnarumma. Saka, you feel, would have found a way about or under Italian.
In the meantime, Kvaratskhelia had exchanged his sword for a shield. It has been said that he is a return for the old wing players. But that is unfair, because George Best and Chris Waddle would not have chased Saka in the same way as a Greyhound. Kvaratskhelia did here. Style that has made way for content and thus PSG protected a lead that will probably decide to determine who is progressing the final of Munich.
With regard to this proof, Kvaratskhelia and PSG hear more than Arsenal there. Kvaratskhelia was the best winger of the game. But he was also the best player of the game for what he did in his own half – tackle, follow and irritate in a way that could not be his own opponent, wood. It was he who was cleared the goal from the inside while the hosts pressed on a late equalizer.
Forget about old -fashioned, we have never seen his before.