Arsenal lost the 2006 UEFA Champions League final to Barcelona.
The final took place on 17 May 2006 at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, near Paris. Arsenal took the lead through Sol Campbell, but Barcelona came back to win 2–1. Samuel Eto’o equalised in the second half, and Juliano Belletti scored the winning goal a few minutes later.
Arsenal’s route to the final was especially notable because they conceded only two goals in their 12 matches before the showpiece. They eliminated Real Madrid, Juventus and Villarreal without conceding in those knockout ties. The appearance was Arsenal’s first European Cup or Champions League final and the first by a London club.
The match also featured an early dismissal: Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann was sent off after bringing down Samuel Eto’o. A frequent confusion is reversing the result because Arsenal scored first; Barcelona were the champions, while Arsenal finished runners-up.