The captains exchanged nods at the front, the referee giving the standard rundown to both sides.
Neither set of players said much.
Respect hovered in the air, but so did the scent of competition.
A camera swept by. Izan caught it in his periphery but didn't flinch.
"You good?" Saka said from behind as Izan slipped on the last of his glove.
Izan nodded once. "Always."
The LED boards lining the tunnel flickered with that familiar blue-and-white starlight as the Champions League anthem echoed through the bowels of the Gewiss Stadium.
The players emerged into view, two neat lines flanked by children dressed in official UEFA kits.
Arsenal in their bold red and white. Atalanta in deep black and electric blue.
The roar of the crowd swallowed the music as the players stepped onto the grass.
Camera flashes dotted the stands like sparks.
High above the pitch in the commentary gantry, Darren Fletcher's voice came alive over the global broadcast feed.
