Arsenal found themselves being scrutinised even before a ball had been kicked in the UEFA Champions League semi-final against PSG.
As the players walked out onto the pitch at the Emirates Stadium, a large flag emerged displaying a cannon – the one typically seen on the club badge.
It was a bit of a basic display – also known as a tifo – and it unsurprisingly led to mockery.
Gabriel Agbonlahor quipped that it looked like something a child would make, telling talkSPORT: “That was horrendous. It was like my seven-year-old had done it at school for a project and brought it to the stadium and asked if they could hang it up.”
Arsenal turned down the fans tifo design request to produce this monstrosity. Champions League semi-final and this was the best they could come up with? So disappointed. pic.twitter.com/6WBPKqXUS5
— Connor Humm (@TikiTakaConnor) April 29, 2025
However, Arsenal fans cannot be blamed for this, as efforts were made to unveil a more elaborate design.
Arsenal rejected three potential tifo designs
The Ashburton Army – Arsenal’s ultras group, seemingly inspired by the Holmesdale Fanatics at Crystal Palace – were keen to create a tifo referencing the popular Netflix series Money Heist, also known as La Casa de Papel, sending three designs to the Gunners.
Their fans raised £12k for these Tifos & the club rejected the 3 proposed ideas and came up with that.
My head would be in Jupiter if I was an Arsenal fan. https://t.co/9AyJKyV1YS pic.twitter.com/pz7hoGL3cJ
— 天蝎座 (@UtdEIIis) April 30, 2025
However, Arsenal – who want Nico Williams – opted not to approve any of them, leaving the Ashburton Army to refund everybody who had contributed financially and allowing the club to take control.
Fans would have therefore hoped to see something somewhat creative emerge ahead of the clash against PSG – which Mikel Merino thinks will ultimately end in victory – but there was nothing but disappointment at seeing a very plain tifo hang down from the roof of the Emirates Stadium.
Where does the term tifo come from?
Tifo is more often used in European football than it is domestically in England, with many unsure of where the word originates from.
The term tifo actually comes from the Italian word tifosi – which is a group of supporters who follow a sports team.
Crystal Palace fans pitched in to create a superb tifo ahead of their FA Cup semi-final win over Aston Villa last week, with Wembley allowing the aforementioned Holmesdale Fanatics into the stadium in the days leading up to the game to ensure the design was completed in time.
With the second leg of the UEFA Champions League now coming in Paris, and a potential final also coming at an away ground in the Allianz Arena, Arsenal fans will sadly not get another chance this season to recognise a significant game with a tifo at the Emirates Stadium.
