Each reaction said something about the strength of the disparate elements suddenly coming together and giving the team every chance of reaching the semi-finals.

Fabregas's exuberance after thoroughly eclipsing Patrick Vieira illustrated the joie de vivre of the young players Arsene Wenger is bringing on so thrillingly. Of the brightest of them all, the manager said: "Fabregas's performances have been the same since the beginning of the season. He looks to me as if he has gained some more physical power, but the quality of his game has been the same.

And mentally he has always been strong. You have those who are inhibited when they go into a big game and the ones who raise it, and I'd put him in the second category."

That bracket would include Arsenal's oldest player as well as the youngest. Halfway through last season Wenger felt it necessary to drop Lehmann for 11 games and was delighted with his goalkeeper's response: "He took it in a positive way instead of sulking. He came in and said he wanted to work more. I'm proud of that and he can be proud of it too, because I respect that kind of attitude."

Lehmann has often appeared to be a stereotypical Herr Angry, the irate figure who delayed taking a goal-kick to rush out and berate his defenders for allowing Juve their one attempt in 90 feeble minutes;

the crazy keeper who during his time in Germany collected five red cards and once attacked one of his own supporters for abusing him.

Yet within an hour of Tuesday's success, another side of the man was on show, much more like the mature, rounded figure who studied part-time for an economics degree and prefers to spend football trips reading rather than playing cards or computer games. There were selfmocking references to his age . . . he looks much younger than his 36 years . . . considered answers in impeccable English to leading questions and even the hint of a grin or two.

After all, it had been a good night's work, hadn't it? "This result could have been a bit better for us because when they were down to nine men you expect to put the result beyond doubt for the second leg, but that did not happen.

We are having a good run but it could be terminated on Wednesday if we don't pay attention to defensive work."

But why Herr Angry? "I am always looking angry on the pitch. That is my manner. I have to be concentrated. As a goalkeeper you try to be a perfectionist and if you neglect concentration a little bit and smile then you will concede a goal. The advantage of my age is that I have a lot of experience of the European Cup. Juventus weren't playing that well but they just needed to score a goal and then they would only have to win one-nil, which shouldn't be too difficult on your home soil. That's why I wanted to be totally switched on and make sure my teammates were concentrating fully."

Lehmann is still prepared to allow for the occasional lapse, while admiring the progress made by the young men in front of him, notably Kolo Toure (25 last week), Emmanuel Eboue (22) and Mathieu Flamini (22). "Due to youth you can't have total consistency. As an old guy I have to be consistent and that is what I am trying to achieve.

The youngsters don't surprise me any more."

And the reason for the apparent disparity between Arsenal's League and European form? For Lehmann:

"We had a dip in the League during the winter when it was very physical. What you have to admit is when you play European games the referees are different. It suits us more in Europe because the teams in the Premiership are quite physical, elbowing and kicking. The English referees are used to that, but the ones who come over from Europe are not."

These days Lehmann is the first to arrive for training, and often the last to leave, as if relishing every moment.

"It is preparation after the game and for the next game.

I have got maybe one, two or three years left. I don't want to have regrets and say I didn't do enough to get the maximum out of them."

As Highbury's young hopefuls head for the Alps and reach for the sky, they would do well to pay attention to the angry old man.