"Welcome to Philadelphia, in what is supposed to be an enthralling fixture. For those of you who have stumbled upon this broadcast in your homes, this is the 3rd group game in group H of the first edition of the expanded Club World Cup."
The roar inside the Lincoln Financial Field rose like a wave as both teams stepped out from the tunnel, the echo of thousands of voices rolling through the open stadium.
Scarlet red and white mixed with brilliant white and gold across the stands, Arsenal and Real Madrid banners fluttering side by side, while cameras flashed aggressively, trying to encapsulate the moment.
On the ESPN broadcast, the commentary cut through the hum of excitement once again.
"The last time these two sides met," one of the commentators said, his tone charged with nostalgia, "was just two months ago in the Champions League, Arsenal beating Real Madrid over two legs to reach the semifinals. And, well… we all remember what happened after that."
