I don’t know about you, but I’m still basking, re-living, re-loving the game from Tuesday night. I had a work thing on yesterday afternoon and evening, so couldn’t engage with any of the other Champions League games that were on last night. But I don’t care. I don’t want the burden of more football discolouring the recent memory of Tuesday night’s win. So I have no real insight on PSG beating Villa, nor of Barcelona smashing Dortmund. What’s funny is that, to be honest with you, so low was my expectation of progression to the semi final, that I hadn’t even thought about who I might want to play there, or in the final, if Arsenal were to progress against Real. Tuesday night’s win has at least got my metaphorical ears pricked up for the rest of the games happening. Not enough to watch them, of course, but certainly to be aware of who is doing what.

If you’re looking at the way the competition is shaking up at the half time stage, you’re saying that it feels like it might be PSG on our side of the draw and Barca/Inter on the other side of the draw. That’s a tasty collective and if we were to progress it would be three teams with which we all have some form of history with, be it recent or past. PSG we beat 2-0 earlier in the season, Inter we were robbed of anything with a dodgy penalty and some profligate finishing earlier in the season, Barca we seemed to play every year in the 2000s, so we all know about that. But I’m not going to be thinking much more about them at all at this stage, because as Bellingham said post game after Tuesday night’s defeat for Real:

“One place where crazy things happen is our house”.

Yeah mate – because you get 75% of all decisions, that’s why.

And that is a very real fear I have. Whoever the referee is next week, they are giving Real absolutely everything. Freekicks, throw ins, corners and woe betide any Arsenal player making a challenge in the box, because that’s probably ending up in two penalties. It’s the same with Barca and as you can probably tell by the fact I’m bringing up the most ridiculous second yellow for Robin van Persie in 2011 against Barca. That night, that decision, was the first time I realised that the two big Spanish clubs essentially get 75% of decisions in all matches. There was stuff on Tuesday night, even, that led me to that continued hypothesis. Camavinga may have eventually have been sent off, but before that I watched two times within five minutes in the first half where he bundled over a player, for the referee to do nothing, then penalise Timber for making a very similar tackle.

That’s what we’re going to be wary of next week and that’s why Bellingham and his teammates can make statements like that above.

Anyway, back on to more pressing matters, which appear to be locking down some of our players for new contracts. The arrival of Andrea Berta may have signalled a flurry of rumours of incomings in the shape of gossip around Gyokyres and Williams, but a big and important part of his job along with Richard Garlick and the contracts team at The Arsenal is making sure we protect our valuable assets. Bukayo Saka was asked about it in his pre match press conference and you have to say that he seemed very relaxed. As a result I feel relaxed. But Arsenal can’t, because for his last contract we left it far too long before getting it signed. This time around it would be good to have it done with plenty of time to spare. The key thing for the likes of Saka, Saliba, Gabriel, Havertz, Odegaard, etc, is that they see progression and the hope that their footballing ambitions can be realised. Games like Tuesday night will give hope, but we also need to finish the job and find ourselves in a semi final first. If we are able to overcome what was one of the favourites for this competition, then if you’re in Saka’s shoes you’re probably telling your agent “this shows me we’ve still got another level to go. I want to be here for that. Get the contract sorted mate”. If you’re Saliba too, who has already said he wants to win things at The Arsenal, at 24 year’s old you can probably do another four year contract and if in three year’s time you want to move on to Real Madrid (as has been some of the rumours), then you’re still in the prime of your career and able to do it. But Arsenal need to make sure they move now for these things so deals can be done in the summer, because if we’re talking about those two players and their contracts in particular this time next season, then the worry will be a lot more heightened for sure.

It appears the club are also looking at improved terms for MLS and Nwaneri too, which makes total sense, given their impact this season. Domestically it’s felt like such a slog but those two have been the glorious surprise packages and I’ve heard multiple people on match days and on podcasts saying that if you were to buy two players like that today, you’re talking north of £100million. That’s not an exaggeration I don’t think. MLS is an England international at 18. That sort of call up bumps the value of a player up and the fact he’s also bagged his first goal and is an English player so will come with that English premium, makes me think you’d have to spend something like £50 – £60million. Man United bid for Jarrad Branthwaite last summer for a deal that would tot up to £50million. This is a guy who had made one appearance for England by the time last summer rolled around. Now, Myles has only made two, but by the way Tuchel was talking about him and how effusive he was with his praise, it feels to me like he’ll be making plenty more.

Then you think about Nwaneri, who has only just turned 18 and has been fast-tracked to the England under-21s too, with a goal scored as well in the most recent set of matches. He’s lighting up Premier League stadiums, bagging goals for the under-21s and is considered an important asset too. TransferMarkt has his value at €55million (£47million) and it kind of does feel like that’s the kind of premium you would pay for an 18-year-old who has eight goals for the first team this season.

So it stands to reason that these players – who will absolutely be a big part of the team next season – get improved terms and are recognised for their position with nice long contracts. It needs to be done alongside Saka, Saliba and others and if Berta can get some of those sorted this summer, that’s some ‘quick wins’ that will have us fans ‘on side’ relatively early in his tenure.

Right, I better leave it there, so will be back tomorrow to see what Brentford fans are saying and how they are playing ahead of the game on Saturday evening.

Catch you then.