It’s advantage Arsenal after their 1–1 draw with Atlético Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League semifinal, despite the Gunners seeing a second-half penalty controversially overturned.
Tuesday night’s frenzy at the Parc des Princes served up some astonishing attacking sequences, but it was the art of defense and containment that was exhibited during a cagey first half in Madrid. Atléti and Arsenal combined for just two shots on target before the break, one of which offered the visitors the lead as Viktor Gyökeres won and scored a penalty in the 44th minute.
Arsenal’s mature away display had quietened the vociferous home support, but they were ignited by a penalty of their own 10 minutes after the restart. Ben White was harshly punished for a handball following the VAR’s review, and Julián Alvarez thrashed home the resulting spot kick to level the score.
VAR once again took center stage later in proceedings, another penalty initially awarded to Arsenal for a foul on Eberechi Eze. However, after referee Danny Makkelie was sent to the monitor for the second time, he overturned the decision despite contact between Dávid Hancko and the Englishman.
In the end, that proved the final moment of consequence for either side, as both ultimately accepted a hard-fought draw ahead of next week’s return leg at the Emirates Stadium.
Winners and Losers
Winner
Declan Rice was expected to perform his end-to-end, box-crashing function at the Metropolitano, but Mikel Arteta had different plans. Utilizing the Englishman as his deepest midfielder was an inspired decision, Rice screening the back four brilliantly and helping limit the impact of Atléti’s band of tricky forwards.
Another superb defensive performance was provided by Piero Hincapié at left back, the Ecuador international completely locking down Atléti’s attacking threats down the right wing. The likes of Marcos Llorente and Giuliano Simeone got absolutely no change out of the Arsenal defender.
Losers
Arsenal’s stagnant attacking play during recent weeks has only been exacerbated by the disappointing form of Gabriel Martinelli. Shirking the responsibility of driving the ball forward and too often choosing the safe passing option, Martinelli was unable to spark any magic down Arsenal’s left in Madrid during another underwhelming display.
Jurriën Timber’s absence has been felt over the past month, and the Dutchman was sorely missed here. Ben White seriously struggled to handle Ademola Lookman after the break, losing track of his man on several occasions and gifting the Nigeria international an excellent shooting opportunity on one occasion.
Arsenal Player Ratings vs. Atletico Madrid (4-3-3)
GK: David Raya—7.8: Shielded for much of the encounter and produced some timely saves when called upon by Atléti.
RB: Ben White—6.2: Unfortunate to succumb to UEFA’s strict handball policy, but definitely appeared the weakest link in the Arsenal defense. Lookman bested him more than once.
CB: William Saliba—7.5: Following an iffy showing at the weekend, Saliba produced a more assured display under significant pressure in Madrid.
CB: Gabriel—6.9: A last-ditch block denied Antoine Griezmann from close range and the Brazilian generally marshaled the Arsenal defense effectively.
LB: Piero Hincapié—7.4: Llorente and Simeone threatened danger for the Gunners, but Hincapié’s terrific performance stifled the pair.
CM: Martin Ødegaard—6.8: Sought to to quicken things up on occasion and was involved in the Arsenal move which forced Gyökeres’s penalty. Withdrawn before the hour, likely to preserve him for the weekend.
CM: Martín Zubimendi—6.5: Struggled at times to cope with the threat posed by Alvarez and Griezmann, both of whom dropped into the pocket to link play. In possession, he operated further forward than usual, contributing to Arsenal’s penalty with a neat pass.
CM: Declan Rice—7.1: Played in a more withdrawn role than expected, often sinking into Arsenal’s defense to add an extra layer of protection. Typically energetic in patroling the engine room.
RW: Noni Madueke—6.6: Glimpses of the Englishman’s spark were scattered throughout the match, one whipped effort just wide of the post his brightest moment.
ST: Viktor Gyökeres—8.1: Arsenal have been crying out for decisive displays from Gyökeres on the big stage, and while the Swede managed just 15 touches, he offered some cutting edge up top.
LW: Gabriel Martinelli—6.4: Left wing has been Arsenal’s problem position this season and another quiet performance from Martinelli underscored the issue.
SUB: Eberechi Eze (58’ for Ødegaard)—6.6: Unlucky not to receive a penalty following Hancko‘s clumsy challenge and was a breath of fresh air from the bench.
SUB: Leandro Trossard (68’ for Martinelli)—5.9: Enjoyed few touches of the ball during his cameo.
SUB: Bukayo Saka (68’ for Madueke)—6.0: Looked rusty on his second appearance following a return from injury.
SUB: Gabriel Jesus (68’ for Gyökeres)—6.4: Helped Arsenal regain some semblance of control.
SUB: Cristhian Mosquera (86’ for White)—N/A
Subs not used: Kepa Arrizabalaga (GK), Tommy Setford (GK), Marli Salmon, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Riccardo Calafiori, Christian Nørgaard, Max Dowman.
What the Ratings Tell Us
- It was a match of mere moments for Arsenal, and Gyökeres was ultimately the provider of their most decisive one. The Swede entertained Atléti’s center backs throughout despite being starved of meaningful service, and it was the striker who earned and then dispatched the spot kick which opened the scoring. With Kai Havertz sidelined, it was a timely display from the often maligned summer recruit.
- Arsenal required a strong defensive display to keep an increasingly threatening Atléti team at bay, and Arteta was not disappointed by the majority of his backline in Madrid. David Raya produced some vital saves, William Saliba offered up a confident performance and Gabriel also managed several crucial interventions. No matter their bluntness in attack, Arsenal can always rely on their defense to come up big.
The Numbers That Explain Arsenal’s Hard-Fought Draw
- Arsenal’s cautious approach was a wise choice, but they would have liked to carry slightly more attacking threat. The Gunners produced just two shots on target throughout.
- The visitors were also unable to use one of their key attacking weapons, Atléti limiting Arsenal to just a single corner. Gabriel was not given the chance to showcase his aerial prowess.
- Arsenal defended resolutely for the most part, but can be pleased with their point considering Atléti managed three big chances and 2.22 expected goals.
| Statistic | Atlético Madrid | Arsenal |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 52% | 48% |
| Expected Goals (xG) | 2.22 | 1.50 |
| Total Shots | 18 | 11 |
| Shots on Target | 4 | 2 |
| Big Chances | 3 | 2 |
| Passing Accuracy | 83% | 88% |
| Fouls Committed | 7 | 11 |
| Corners | 6 | 1 |
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Arsenal Player Ratings vs. Atletico Madrid: Advantage Gunners After Semifinal Stalemate.
