Arsenal delivered an outstanding performance to edge past Real Madrid and secure a place in the Champions League semi-finals. Despite a missed penalty from Bukayo Saka, the Gunners held their nerve at the Bernabeu to book their spot in the last four.
Holding a commanding 3-0 aggregate lead from their impressive first-leg win, Arsenal were handed an early opportunity to extend their advantage with a penalty in the 13th minute. However, Bukayo Saka’s weakly executed effort was comfortably saved by Thibaut Courtois.
Saka soon redeemed himself, though, producing a moment of brilliance in the second half by deftly chipping Courtois after Mikel Merino’s intelligent pass, effectively ending Real Madrid’s hopes of a comeback.
While Real responded swiftly as a mishap from William Saliba presented Vinicius Junior with a chance he did not miss, Arsenal remained resilient. Gabriel Martinelli added a final flourish to Arsenal’s evening, securing a 2-1 victory in stoppage time with a breakaway goal, again orchestrated by the creative Merino.
This triumph marks only the third time Arsenal have reached the Champions League semi-finals, where they will face Paris Saint-Germain.
The Bernabeu faithful, hopeful of witnessing a historic comeback, briefly saw light when Real were awarded a penalty following Saka’s miss. However, after a lengthy VAR review, the decision was overturned, as minimal contact from Declan Rice on Kylian Mbappe proved insufficient for a spot-kick.
Arsenal’s remarkable performance, reminiscent of their splendid first-leg display, showed their ability to maintain composure amid the intense atmosphere of the Bernabeu. Saka, despite his early penalty blunder after Raul Asencio felled Merino, ensured the Gunners never faced serious jeopardy.
Arteta’s men have not succumbed to a four-goal defeat since their encounter with Liverpool at Anfield in November 2021, and they maintain an impressive record of not conceding more than two goals over a span of 100 matches since defeating Luton 4-3 in December 2023.
The term ‘la Remontada,’ or ‘the comeback,’ dominated the narrative from Real Madrid’s camp leading up to this encounter. Historically famed for dramatic turnarounds, the Spanish giants had previously overturned deficits in Champions League ties against Wolfsburg, PSG, and Manchester City.
With a squad beset by injuries, Mikel Arteta has steered Arsenal deftly, managing to put five past Real Madrid without a true striker.
Despite pre-match confidence, Carlo Ancelotti’s side found themselves second best to Arsenal across both legs. With their Champions League campaign concluded, Real must now redirect their efforts towards La Liga, trailing Barcelona by four points in their title defence.
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