Football: Real Madrid 1 - 2 Arsenal
Arsenal won 5-1 on aggregate
An historic night for Arsenal as they qualified for the Champions League semi-finals.
Bukayo Saka experienced a night of highs and lows in Madrid, as Arsenal held their nerve to ease to a two legged victory over Real Madrid in the Champions League.
Holding a commanding 3-0 lead from the first leg, Mikel Arteta’s side arrived at the Bernabeu with the advantage and an early opportunity to tighten their grip when they were awarded a penalty just 13 minutes in. However, Saka’s attempt, a tame dink straight down the middle, was easily read and saved by Thibaut Courtois.
To his credit, the England international made up for it in style after the break, latching onto a clever pass from Mikel Merino and lifting a delightful finish over Courtois to effectively put the tie beyond Madrid’s reach.
The hosts responded almost immediately, capitalising on a defensive lapse from William Saliba which allowed Vinícius Júnior to tap into an empty net and momentarily raise the volume inside the Bernabeu.
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But any hopes of an unlikely late comeback were extinguished in stoppage time, when Gabriel Martinelli sprinted clear to seal a 2-1 win on the night, once again set up by the impressive Merino, and a 5-1 aggregate triumph.
It marks only the third time in the club’s history that Arsenal have reached the Champions League semi-finals. Standing in their way now are Paris Saint-Germain, who they beat 2-0 at the Emirates in the group stage, although Luis Enrique’s side appear a far more formidable proposition this time around.
Overall, an incredible night for Arteta’s side. The failure to mount a serious challenge for the title this season will have been seen as a disappointment by their fans. However, if they were to do tue unthinkable and win the Champions League, all would be forgiven.
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