Arsenal reached the Champions League final for the first time in 20 years as Bukayo Saka sealed a 1-0 win against Atletico Madrid on Tuesday.
Mikel Arteta’s side settled the semi-final second leg at a raucous Emirates Stadium when Saka struck late in the first half, a goal that ultimately proved decisive. After last week’s 1-1 draw in Madrid, Arsenal advanced 2-1 on aggregate, showing both composure and resilience on a night heavy with expectation.
They will now face either Paris Saint-Germain or Bayern Munich in the final in Budapest on May 30. PSG, last year’s conquerors of Arsenal at this stage, hold a slender 5-4 advantage ahead of Wednesday’s second leg in Munich.
For Arsenal, this was more than just a victory — it was a release. The club returns to Europe’s biggest stage for the first time since their 2-1 defeat to Barcelona in 2006, still their only previous final appearance. Despite a proud European history that includes the 1994 Cup Winners’ Cup and the 1970 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, the Champions League has long remained elusive.
Now, that long pursuit feels closer than ever.
Arteta’s side are in the midst of what could become the greatest season in the club’s history, chasing a Premier League and Champions League double. Even Arsene Wenger’s famed “Invincibles” of 2004 may have to yield their pedestal if this team completes the job.
Fittingly, it was Saka — the embodiment of Arteta’s project — who delivered the decisive moment. The academy graduate pounced from close range after Jan Oblak could only parry Leandro Trossard’s effort, sending the Emirates into a frenzy.
With just four games standing between them and immortality, Arsenal also received a timely boost in the title race as Manchester City dropped points at Everton on Monday. Three wins from their remaining fixtures against West Ham, Burnley and Crystal Palace would seal the league crown before they head to Hungary.
Recent weeks had seen questions raised about Arsenal’s mentality following a dip in form, with familiar accusations of fragility resurfacing. But those doubts are rapidly being silenced as this team edges towards history.
The atmosphere before kick-off spoke volumes. Thousands of supporters gathered outside the Emirates, welcoming the players with flares and flags in a vivid show of belief and anticipation.
On the pitch, Arsenal weathered an early storm. Julian Alvarez fired narrowly wide, while Giuliano Simeone saw a close-range effort deflected just past the post. But the hosts soon imposed themselves, and their growing control was rewarded just before the break.
Viktor Gyokeres’ intelligent movement disrupted Atletico’s back line, allowing Trossard to carve out space for a low shot that Oblak could only push into danger — where Saka was perfectly placed to convert.
Arteta’s emphatic celebration on the touchline mirrored the eruption in the stands.
The second half demanded grit as Atletico pushed for an equaliser. Gabriel Magalhaes produced a crucial last-ditch tackle to deny Simeone, while David Raya stood firm to repel Antoine Griezmann’s powerful strike.
It was not Arsenal at their most fluent, but it was a performance defined by maturity, discipline and belief — qualities that have sometimes been questioned in the past.
Arteta recently admitted he had long envisioned this moment, even during the more turbulent early days of his tenure. Now, that vision stands on the brink of reality.
AFP
