Arsenal made an emphatic return to the Champions League with a 4-0 win over PSV.
The victory came on a night when the club ended a seven-year wait to return to Europe’s elite competition.
But eagle-eyed fans will have noticed one particular detail from the evening that stands out as odd.
Since transferring from Highbury in 2006, Arsenal have played at the Emirates Stadium.
But in the Champions League, their home ground is simply listed as the Arsenal Stadium due to a little-known UEFA rule.
The Emirates Stadium has been renamed the Arsenal Stadium in accordance with UEFA rules
This isn’t just the case for Arsenal, as fellow Premier League club Manchester City have also renamed their home ground the City of Manchester Stadium.
This is because UEFA does not recognize stadium sponsors according to their rules regarding sponsorship.
In fact, UEFA sponsorship rules have also meant that teams have had to change their names slightly.
Austria’s Red Bull Salzburg have shortened their name to simply FC Salzburg and are using a modified emblem to fit within the regulations.
Arsenal’s triumphant return to the Champions League
Arsenal were at their best against PSV in their home stadium
In the end there were four. It should have been at least double, as this efficient dismantling of PSV Eindhoven ruthlessly reintroduced the Gunners to European football’s elite club tournament.
This was Arsenal’s first return to the Champions League since 2016. How they made up for lost time.
After the long break, you would forgive the supporters for simply being grateful to be playing a big role again.
On this evidence, that would be selling itself short. If this great performance is anything to go by, Arsenal will be in this tournament for a long time.
“It was a wonderful evening after such a long time,” said head coach Mikel Arteta, who again started David Raya ahead of long-term No. 1 Aaron Ramsdale.
‘It was great to hear the Champions League music, we were emotional. I was emotional, but we managed to take the emotion out of it. We were exceptional tonight.”