Arsenal secured a historic 2-1 victory over Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu, booking their place in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals for the first time in 16 years with a convincing 5-1 aggregate win.
Despite missing a first-half penalty, Bukayo Saka opened the scoring for the Gunners in the second half with a composed chip over Thibaut Courtois, extending Arsenal’s aggregate lead to 4-0. Real Madrid responded almost immediately through Vinícius Júnior, who capitalized on a defensive mix-up to level the score on the night.
However, Arsenal maintained their composure and sealed a memorable victory in stoppage time when Gabriel Martinelli finished off a swift counter-attack. The win makes Arsenal the first English club to secure two victories at the iconic Bernabéu, following their previous triumph in 2006.
The match included significant drama, notably Saka’s saved Panenka penalty attempt and a lengthy VAR review that overturned a penalty initially awarded to Real Madrid after Kylian Mbappé went down under a challenge from Declan Rice.
Mikel Arteta’s side, having prioritized the Champions League amid fading Premier League title hopes, demonstrated resilience and tactical maturity to overcome the reigning European champions. The victory sets up a tantalizing semi-final clash against Paris Saint-Germain, pitting two clubs hungry for their first Champions League title against each other.
The achievement marks a significant milestone in Arsenal’s resurgence under Arteta, validating their progress after years away from Europe’s elite competition. However, the triumph was slightly marred by a late yellow card for Thomas Partey, ruling the influential midfielder out of the crucial first leg against PSG due to suspension.