Arsene Wenger was given a resounding send-off ahead of Arsenal’s clash with Burnley on Sunday afternoon, the Frenchman’s final home match in charge of the Gunners. Wenger announced his 22-year association with Arsenal would come to an end at the culmination of the current campaign, though had wanted little fuss ahead of the landmark day. But Arsenal had no intention of letting their greatest ever manager go quietly into the night, with the entire crowd – which was a sell-out – given red ‘Merci Arsene’ t-shirts to wear.
Prior to kick-off against Burnley, he was also given a guard of honour, with players from both teams – as well as the matchday officials – forming a tunnel for Wenger to walk through. The entire Emirates crowd gave Wenger a standing ovation as he walked out onto the pitch, chanting and applauding the Frenchman.
— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) May 6, 2018
Wenger still took a moment to observe the usual pre-match ritual of shaking hands with the opposing manager, greeting Sean Dyche before basking in the adulation of the fans in the centre of the pitch. The Gunners have gone to great lengths to make Wenger’s final home match unforgettable, with queues forming hours before kick-off so fans could sign a book of farewell message to be presented to Wenger.
The entire stadium and surrounding complex was draped in banners and murals dedicated to Wenger’s time at the club, while a host of notable players from his 22-year reign were in attendance. The club shop also had mannequins wearing shirts with messages from Wenger’s current crop of players, with the likes of Aaron Ramsey and Per Mertesacker paying tribute to the 68-year-old.
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