David Hytner was at the Emirates tonight. Here’s his report. Congratulations to Arsenal, who will compete in the 2026 Champions League final; commiserations to Atlético Madrid, so close and yet so far once again; and thanks to you for reading this MBM. Over to Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain tomorrow night. Another nine-goal thriller, please!
A very smiley Mikel Arteta – and good on him for enjoying the moment – gives a lovely, sweet interview to Amazon Prime: “It’s an amazing night … to live this kind of moment with our people is an incredible feeling … it makes sense of a lot of the things we do … to see so many happy faces … it was unbelievable from the very beginning … the supporters set the standard and we try to catch up with them … the pride in their eyes is beautiful to watch … the togetherness … I apologised [to the players left out of the starting XI] but they said ‘I am here when you need me’ … they gave me a hug … [Viktor Gyökeres] was immense … his work-rate was just incredible … he was the first to set the tone, the rhythm … let’s go for it!”
Post-match postbag. “I have to say that in Europe Arsenal have looked very good. Yes, they may not have the Joie de Vivre of PSG or the fantastic front line of Bayern Munich but they are a solid bunch and it would be fantastic to see them win it. Earlier this season I said Miles Lewis-Skelly looked out of his depth and going backwards in his development but he was excellent tonight and showed what an amateur I am at identifying talent” – Tony Mason
“Well, that was heart-warming. Now, where are my blood pressure pills for tomorrow’s heart stopper?” – Justin Kavanagh
“I suppose I’m pleased an English club is in the Champions League final. Pity it had to be Arsenal. On the bright side, Saka got a goal which bodes well for England in the World Cup. And it is comforting to think Arsenal are going to get torn apart by either PSG or Bayern” – Colum Fordham
Rice adds: “You have to watch tomorrow night … may the best team win, whoever gets there.”
… and as for the weekend: “Without West Ham there is no me … a lot of people pushed me on … it’s not nice to see them in the position they are in … but that is football … may the best team win.”
Declan Rice speaks to Amazon Prime: “It is chaos in the dressing room … the most prestigious tournament in club football … we are just trying to soak it all in … we knew what was at stake … once we went 1-0 up I knew we was going to win … you felt something special building … our manager this year has been tough on [Myles Lewis-Skelly] behind the scenes … he has kept his head down … now he’s got his chance and has taken it … he’s so good … where this club has come from … what we’ve been building … the narrow losses … the things that hurt you as a player … we kept pushing each other … we’ve gone full throttle and find ourselves in a very good position … it’s all to play for … it’s a funny one because we are in the Champions League final [but] Sunday [against West Ham] is a massive one and we have to focus on that too … I am a strong believer in knowing what this team is capable of.”
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Arsenal are now three games away from their first Premier League title in 22 years … and another one match away from their first European Cup ever. Simply on the evidence of last week’s match between Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich, they’ll be underdogs in the Budapest final, which will be played on Saturday 30 May. But not by as much as you may think, given the Gunners are the only team still undefeated in this year’s tournament, have yet to concede a goal from open play in the knockout phase, and have only lost two of their last 24 Champions League matches. Admittedly both of those defeats were against PSG, 1-0 and 2-1 in the semis last season, but then they beat Bayern 3-1 in this season’s league phase back in November, so it’s swings and roundabouts. Whatever, they can park this for few weeks, and concentrate on West Ham, Burnley and Crystal Palace. Three wins, and they’re guaranteed to become champions of England. And then … well, it’s a good time to be a Gunner.
Brief post-match celebration soundtrack observation. Freed From Desire > North London Forever.
The match-winner Bukayo Saka speaks to Amazon Prime: “You are taking me away from the celebrations, man! … you can see what it means to us … to the fans … this was a high-pressure game … we managed it well and it takes us to the final … the fans pushed us and they’ve got this moment, and we’ll celebrate it together … sometimes it bounces for you … I was there and I got my goal … now we are in the final and we are fighting for the Premier League … another step forward … it’s a beautiful story and I hope it ends well in Budapest!”
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Arsenal cavort in delight to a man! The Emirates erupts! This famous old club are going to their second Champions League final! They’ll play either Paris Saint-Germain or Bayern Munich in a Budapest showdown at the end of May! Diego Simeone, so irate seconds earlier, deflates, as do his players. Another close miss for the Madrid nearly men. But tonight is all about Arsenal, who dug in and ground out a famous victory! The team hold hands and race towards their fans as one! Their manager Mikel Arteta perhaps the fastest of them all! Party time at the Emirates!
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FULL TIME: Arsenal 1-0 Atletico Madrid (agg 2-1)
The whistle goes! Arsenal are going to Budapest!
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90 min +6: Now both benches empty as the row continues. But when it all calms down …
90 min +5: Koke is booked for nudging Martinelli towards the Arsenal bench, which briefly threatens to empty. Calafiori is booked too.
90 min +4: Arteta continues a philosophical back-and-forth with the Atleti bench. The rain comes down, and the clock ticks on. Arsenal so very close now!
90 min +3: … and now Mikel Arteta is booked for excessive touchline drama.
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90 min +2: The Arsenal fans are giving it plenty. Quite a few tears in the Atletico Madrid end. Diego Simeone none too happy either, as Raya faffs around over another by-kick. The keeper is booked.
90 min +1: Nothing much is happening, and they’re four minutes away now. “Swansea City legend Gyorkeres coming out on top against Cardiff City legend Alexander Sorloth,” observes Matt Dony. “The grudge match we didn’t know we needed.”
90 min: The board goes up. Arsenal are a minimum of five additional minutes away from the Budapest final!
89 min: Álex Baena shoots from 35 yards. It’s a decent enough effort, given the distance, but it’s always sailing well over the bar. Raya won’t rush to take the resulting by-kick. (Hats off to Ally McCoist for getting that one trending again.)
88 min: The Emirates is absolutely buzzing. The nerves are palpable, but the fans are doing their best to haul their heroes over the line. It’s been quite some effort all round.
87 min: In fact, Sørloth almost managed to kick that ball behind him and up the seat of his own pants. Not sure how he did it, but if he can work it out, that’ll be a good party trick going forward.
86 min: Rice’s delivery is good, a dangerous loop to the back post. Gabriel is there, but can’t get a proper header away, whiffing weakly wide right. A big chance. And then another big chance, up the other end, Alex Baena crossing low from the left for Sørloth, who has the opportunity to shoot from the penalty spot but gets his legs all of a tangle. He scuffs the ball against himself, and an extremely inviting opportunity passes by.
85 min: Martinelli’s first act is to run at Llorente down the left, winning a corner for his trouble. Rice to take.
84 min: Trossard, who has put in a good shift tonight, and had a huge part to play in what looks like being the decisive goal, is replaced by Martinelli. He receives the warm ovation he deserves.
83 min: Gyökeres is midway through spinning away from Pubill when he’s hauled down. A booking, the first of the match. And a check for a red card. But there were covering defenders. Just a free kick, which Ødegaard swings into a crowded box. Saliba heads harmlessly over.
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81 min: Llorente digs out a cross from the right. Raya is forced to tip away from the lurking Sørloth. The ball’s half cleared. Madueke gives up possession cheaply and Atleti come again. The ball’s worked right to Llorente, who shoots towards the bottom right. But there’s no oomph behind the shot, and it’s easy for Raya.
79 min: Oblak kicks long and flat, hoping to release Sørloth down the middle. Saliba reads the danger and intercepts. Arsenal work the ball down the right, Ødegaard hanging up a cross for Oblak to claim. And the famous clock up above the goal ticks on.
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77 min: Almada finds a spot of space down the left. He whips into the centre but Raya claims confidently, though he accidentally kicks Gabriel on the ear while doing so. Nothing too sore, by the looks of it, but it’s an excuse to go down and eat up some of those precious seconds. Budapest within touching distance now.
75 min: Álex Baena advances down the left and wins a corner off White. Arsenal deal with the set play aggressively, clearing to halfway, but the ball’s worked back down the left for Álex Baena again. A cross nearly finds Sørloth in the middle, but the big striker clanks into the nearest defender and concedes a pressure-releasing free kick. On the touchline, Diego Simeone continues to pogo around in a mixture of irritation and mild panic. Time is running out for his men. The clock will be turning a lot more slowly for Arsenal, to be fair.
74 min: Lewis-Skelly goes down … then gets up and receives a warm ovation as he departs. He’s replaced by Zubimendi.
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72 min: … and is eventually worked towards Madueke on the right, but his attempted cross is sliced out of play for a goal kick.
71 min: Gyökeres keeps running and pressing, despite that big miss, and his efforts win his team another corner. This will come in from the left …
69 min: White latches onto a loose ball 30 yards out, and pings a low shot wide right. This game is opening up again. “Forget Tom Waits,” insists Evan Doll. “I think of Diego Simeone as looking like Oracle CEO Larry Ellison’s slightly more unkempt, slightly less successful little brother.”
67 min: Griezmann is finally replaced, along with Alvarez. On come Álex Baena and Thiago Almada.
66 min: Arsenal are this close to doubling their lead. And it would have been a fine goal. Hincapie is sent striding down the left at speed by Odegaard, and whips a first-time cross into the centre. Gyökeres arrives, meets the ball on the penalty spot … and clears the bar by inches. He has to score. Has to. And reacts by covering his mouth, but not in trademark celebration style.
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64 min: A free kick for Atleti out on the left. Griezmann, who is about to be replaced by Álex Baena, swings it into the mixer. It’s easily cleared. “Does anyone else remember Arsenal being fuming about being gazumped by Chelsea when they were about to sign Mudryk?” wonders nostalgia enthusiast Edan Tal. “Felt disappointing that they had to settle for Trossard on the cheap at the time, not so much now!”
62 min: It’s all got a bit scrappy, which probably suits Arsenal at the moment, given Atleti were working up a small head of steam. “Forget Kramer,” insists Justin Kavanagh. “I think of Diego Simeone as looking like Tom Waits’ slightly more kempt, slightly more successful little brother.”
60 min: Ødegaard is immediately into the swing of things, looking for the top-right corner from distance. Over it goes, but not by too much. Oblak had it covered, mind.
59 min: Arsenal respond with a triple swap of their own, Saka, Eze and Calafiori being replaced by Ødegaard, Madueke and Hincapie.
57 min: Atleti make a triple change, replacing Simeone, Lookman and Le Normand with Cardoso, Sørloth and Molina.
56 min: Griezmann shoots. Raya parries. The striker tries to recover the loose ball and is lightly clipped by Calafiori. Griezmann goes over, and VAR gets involved, but fortunately for the defender, there was a foul on Gabriel earlier in the move.
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54 min: Rice bombs forward and slips the ball to Trossard on his right. Trossard shoots. It’s blocked. The game is much more open in this second half. Not entirely sure who that benefits, but here we are.
53 min: That was a huge chance, and a reminder that Arsenal are far from home and hosed yet. “Diego Simeone is known as a fighter,” begins Peter Oh. “How will he react to taking a Saka punch to the gut?”
51 min: A long ball down the middle. Saliba heads backwards to his keeper. It’s weak. Simeone nips in and rounds Raya, but can’t force into the unguarded net, with Gabriel arriving just in time to grapple from behind and hook out for a corner. Simeone claims to have been tugged back illegally, but that’s outstanding defence. Nothing comes of the resulting corner. Simeone will wonder how he didn’t get the chance to roll that home.
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49 min: Llorente lightly tugs at Trossard’s shirt, and though the Arsenal man goes down in theatrical style, is still fortunate not to go into the book. The resulting free kick is worked towards White on the right. He crosses, looking for Gabriel, who goes over while tussling with Le Normand, but doesn’t claim the penalty. The crowd do, though. The referee waves play on, quite correctly.
48 min: There’s a lot of space down the inside-right channel for Pubill to advance into. He takes the opportunity, then crosses for Lookman, but the ball’s cleared by the stooping White. Atleti already showing more spirit in attack.
46 min: The freshly-bollocked Atleti are immediately on the attack, Llorente looping in from the right, Lookman unable to win a header at the far stick.
Arsenal get the second half underway. No changes, though Atleti were sent out early by their presumably irate manager.
Half-time postbag. “Last season I watched Arsenal hang on against Barcelona to win the Champions League final and I nearly dug my fingers through the armrest of my chair. Yesterday I watched Everton v City in a similar state. The less said about the one-nil against Newcastle the better. And yet tonight I feel serenely calm. Going out against Atlético would be no dishonour, and the league feels more important anyway. I’m… enjoying this? As a fan of the Gunners, I’m not used to this, but I’ll take it” – Kári Tulinius
“No one in September would have thought Arsenal will be playing their semi-final with White, Lewis-Skelly, Eze and Gyokeres starting the match. And they have been brilliant so far!” – Balaji
“Oh yes, One-Nil is definitely better than North London Forever; let’s all sing along to it – but not in the original with the now hopelessly compromised and discredited Village People; let’s have the classy Pet Shop Boys version” – Charles Antaki
“Anyone else getting Kramer of Seinfeld fame from Diego Simeone? Time for the barber I think” – Tim Smith
Half-time advertising break. The Guardian has kicked off a new chapter in puzzles with the launch of its first daily football game, On the ball. It is now live in the app for both iOS and Android … so what are you waiting for?
HALF TIME: Arsenal 1-0 Atletico Madrid (agg 2-1)
Well, that’s changed everything! Arsenal will be heading to Budapest as things stand. They deserve their lead on the balance of play: Atleti have shown next to nothing in attack.
45 min +1: “One-nil to the Arsenal” is much better than North London Forever, isn’t it? The crowd sing their thing.
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GOAL! Arsenal 1-0 Atletico Madrid (Saka 45); agg 2-1
Arsenal break the deadlock! Gyökeres chases a ball slipped down the right. He nearly rounds the out-rushing Oblak, but the keeper does just enough. Gyökeres crosses for Trossard, coming in from the other flank. Trossard chests down, and there are a few groans as he takes his sweet time to line up a shot. But it’s worth the wait, because when he eventually takes one, hard and low, Oblak parries, and the ball breaks to Saka, who forces home from a couple of yards!
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43 min: Alvarez chases after a long ball down the middle. He’s not getting past Saliba and Gabriel. He goes over, claiming an unfair nudge, but the linesman tells him to get up.
42 min: White and Eze combine crisply down the inside right, but the resulting low shot towards the near post is easily snaffled by Oblak.
41 min: The pace drops. It had to, at some point. And on the subject of joules burned … “Has anyone done a heatmap of Diego Simeone?” wonders Andy Gordon. “Not for where he goes, but for his calorific output that could sustainably power most of the lighting at the Emirates tonight.” Arteta presumably providing the electricity for Highbury & Islington tube?
39 min: Gyökeres is making his presence felt, bustling all across the front line. This time he hares down the left, but can’t get the better of Griezmann, who celebrates winning a goal kick as he would a kick into the goal. Meanwhile here’s Justin Kavanagh with an investment pitch for the Dragons: “Both Arteta and Simeone have been wildly leaping and gesticulating practically ON the pitch throughout this tie. It’s well past time for the coach-on-a-bungee-cord innovation to be implemented, whereby reaching the edge of the technical area will automatically spring them back onto the bench. Or collars and electric fences. Someone PLEASE have a word with Monsieur Wenger.”
37 min: Eze tries to dribble his way through a six-man thicket on the edge of the Atleti box. Full marks for ambition, but that caper was never going to bear fruit.
36 min: … and from the corner, Rice takes another whack, blootering the ball into the nearest defender. Atleti clear. “This was a trade mark in Madrid that I was praying wouldn’t be repeated at home,” begins Pete Mumola. “The amount of backpasses not just in their half but inside the box is begging for a mistake. And with this scoreline, one mistake could end the tie.”
35 min: Two Arsenal penalty appeals in quick succession. Griezmann nudges Trossard softly in the back. Trossard goes over, but it would have been as soft as the shove. Then Rice claims handball as his shot hits Hancko, but that’s in the chest rather than on the arm. VAR checks both and waves play on. But it’ll be a corner to Arsenal, from the right as a result of Rice’s deflected shot.
33 min: Gabriel loops a cross into the Atleti mixer from the left. It’s deflected, and easy pickings for Oblak. Atleti counter, but the ball doesn’t find Griezmann in space. Neither team quite clicking in the final third.
32 min: Atleti spend some more precious time on the ball. They’re slowly getting back into the game after that period of Arsenal pressure.
30 min: Oblak plays a careless ball out of his box. Eze is this close to intercepting. Atleti go straight up the other end, Llorente freed into the Arsenal box on the right. He cuts back and shoots. Blocked. His cross is too long for Lookman. The flag then pops up for offside. Relief for Arsenal, though had Llorente scored, VAR would have surely got the rulers out and overruled the flag. Llorente was being played on by White.
28 min: Pubill stands on the prone Calafiori’s hand. Accidental? Let’s give him the benefit of the doubt.
27 min: Arsenal are now making Atleti do a lot of chasing. The visitors finally intercept, and though Lookman’s probe down the left goes nowhere, that’s a welcome breather for the visitors.
25 min: A nice stat courtesy of Amazon Prime: Arsenal have failed to score from their previous 42 Champions League corners. Well, make that 43 now, but this one comes close to snapping that run, Lewis-Skelly barging into the box from the left and whistling a low ball across the face of goal that just needs touching home. But there’s nobody in red there.
24 min: Atleti started the better, but Arsenal are beginning to take control now. Rice powers his way past Griezmann on the left touchline, and reaches the byline before his cutback earns another Arsenal corner.
22 min: Gyökeres and Saka get in each other’s way down the inside-right channel. A shame, because Gyökeres looked to have the better of Koke, but clanked into his confused pal. Koke makes off with the ball to clear.
21 min: Alvarez looks to spin Rice on the centre spot and is clipped to the ground. Now it’s Diego Simeone’s turn to pull some touchline shapes.
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19 min: White slips a cute defence-splitter down the inside-right channel. Saka cuts back but can’t find Gyökeres in the middle. The ball’s only half cleared, and Gabriel has a pop from the edge of the D. He pulls his low drive wide right. Oblak had it covered. Mikel Arteta almost spins through an entire 360 degrees in a mixture of excitement and frustration.
17 min: … Rice loops long to Saka, on the right-hand corner of the six-yard box. Saka’s all alone, but can’t adjust his body and scuffs a poor attempt well wide of both goal and side netting.
16 min: … but it’s Arsenal who win the first corner of the evening, Gyökeres threatening to skin Le Normand for pace down the left. He nearly does so, but has to settle for the set piece. From which …
15 min: Arsenal have had 74 percent of the possession so far. But it’s Atleti who have posed the biggest threat. Diego Simeone will be relatively pleased with his team’s start.
14 min: Raya plays a dangerous ball out from his box, and Saka does well to deal with it under pressure from a two-player pincer movement. He rolls back to the keeper, who distributes safely this time. The visitors are pressing hard during these early exchanges.
13 min: That close shave has got the crowd a little bit jittery. Jangling nerves almost audible, the volume dropping for the first time since kick-off.
11 min: Llorente outmuscles Lewis-Skelly 30 yards from the Arsenal goal, forcing the makeshift midfielder to bring him down. A free kick out on the left. Everyone lines up on the edge of the box. The ball’s worked to the right, where Griezmann reaches the byline and cuts back. Simeone, steaming in like that tifo ship, tries to force the ball into the bottom right, but Rice extends a leg and his lunge is enough to make Simeone clank wide right. Atleti the first team to come close.
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9 min: Calafiori finds himself in a pocket of space, 25 yards out, and elects to shoot. As the ball sails high and wide left, Trossard, in acres of space to the defender’s left, gesticulates in irritation. Calafiori took the wrong option there.
8 min: Griezmann wedges Simeone into space down the right. Simeone crosses low for Alvarez, who arrives just in time to poke wide right of goal. Atleti bear their teeth for the first time.
7 min: Eze faffs around in midfield, and it’s his turn to be stripped of possession, by Griezmann. But the whistle goes for a foul. That’s a bit soft, and Arsenal get away with one, because Griezmann was off on the counter.
5 min: Pubill dallies on the ball and has it picked clean off his toe by Trossard. The steal doesn’t lead to anything other than an enthusiastic cheer from the home fans, but the pace is frenetic and that’s a reminder that nobody will want to be caught snoozing tonight.
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3 min: Arsenal get their foot on the ball and stroke it around the back. One of those It’s Our Gaff statements.
2 min: Saka is caught late by Koke. Nothing too serious, but it’s one of those We’re Here statements. The noise, though!
Atletico Madrid kick off. Arsenal are kicking towards the Clock End during this first half. Meanwhile Randy Gatley would like to discuss the crests on those pennants: “Couldn’t agree more. How did Arsenal overlook two baller crests to choose the rejected Load Cannons button design for an unsuccessful Windows 95 Naval Warfare Simulator? Right up there with Napoli’s ‘No button for the staff intranet polling module’. After the shame of this defeat, a Champions League final hardly seems to matter.”
The teams are out! And the band strikes up …
♫ ♪ ♬ North London forever
Whatever the weather
These streets are our own
And my heart will leave you never
My blood will forever run through the sto-oo-oone ♪ 🎵 🎶
♫ ♪ ♬ Die Meister
Die Besten
Les grandes équipes
The chaaaaaaaaaampions! ♪ 🎵 🎶
Arsenal wear their famous red shirts with white sleeves. Atleti are in second-choice dark blue. The Emirates is bouncing. Up pops a tifo, exciting and new. It’s a boat! Arsenal’s proud ship depicted full-steam ahead of a defeated flotilla of European giants. It reads: COME ABOARD, WE’RE EXPECTING YOU OVER LAND AND SEA. Kick-off coming right up!
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Pre-match postbag. “Took my nephews to see the Arsenal team bus arrive and what an excellent idea from REDaction Gooners. The ground is already buzzing with plenty of time to go to continue building. Trust the boys to get the job done tonight, hopefully early doors with no injuries” – Jakob Mathiszig-Lee
“Lots of red and white striped shirts on view as I travelled from Camden to Baker Street by bus earlier. Feels like a proper cup tie night” – Gary Naylor
“Hoping to see Ben White stamping magnetic boots over the Atletico badge on the side of that bus, like Wallace in The Wrong Trousers” – Alan Baverstock
“Two great teams. Two absolute gentlemen managers. Two teams that deserve to win the big cup but surprisingly never managed. No better prospect for a neutral. Arsenal carries the home advantage but there is absolutely no margin for error. The prospect of landing the league and bagging the coveted double must weigh on Arsenal. That could, in fact, hand over the advantage to Simeone” – krishnamoorthy v
“A thorough and entertaining introduction as usual (crawl, crawl) but with one absolute howler: Arsenal had to use up precisely no energy in beating Fulham at the weekend. We were so appalling that Arsenal did not need to rise from their bathchairs to administer a thrashing” – Richard Hirst
“I’ve heard some talk online about whoever wins tomorrow — Bayern or PSG — is going to win the whole tournament. Me myself, I’m not so sure. I am an avowed Bayern fan and have been enjoying this season so far (Vincent Kompany, who would have known? Certainly not me when he was appointed) but I can’t help feeling that, if we move on tomorrow, we won’t win it all. Our squad is exhausted. We have key injuries. We still can’t defend a corner to save our lives. Manuel Neuer is either the best player on the pitch or plays like he has never seen a pitch before. Arsenal capitalised on this in the group stage. Who’s to say that they (or Atletico) can’t do it again?” – Rebekah Voss
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Pennant Watch. There’s nothing wrong, in and of itself, with the commemorative gift stand-in captain Bukayo Saka will hand over to his opposite number Koke. But that badge. Come on, man. Stand it next to the time-honoured Victoria Concodria Crescit crest and weep. And that’s before we get to the stratospherically sexy Art Deco A-football-C logo. Ever since that fateful rebrand, Herbert Chapman has been spinning elegantly in his grave, nearly a quarter of a style-free century on.
Atletico Madrid’s offering, however, is a thing of timeless beauty. Enrique Collar would have been proud to hand that over. Arsenal are favourites to go through tonight, but they’ve lost this very important pre-match skirmish.
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Mikel Arteta, barely able to suppress an excited grin, speaks to TNT Sports. “I have never seen an atmosphere like this … when we entered the stadium … great to see … enthusiasm … [Myles Lewis-Skelly] has played many times in [midfield] … he is very flexible … we need to be very adaptable … very aggressive with the ball … I hope [Bukayo Saka] can maintain the form he showed a few days ago and help us win the game … [Atletico] can manage moments in games … we have prepared … referee decisions are out of our control, let’s hope this time they can get it right … let’s go for it, let’s do it!”
Atleti’s big worry was the fitness of Julian Alvarez – but the former Manchester City striker starts. He had been taken off with an injured ankle during the first leg, and missed the game at Valencia at the weekend. His first-leg equaliser made him the first Atleti player to score ten goals in a single Champions League campaign, and the fastest Argentinian to 25 goals overall. He got there in 41 appearances; Lionel Messi needed 42. Atleti make just the one change from their first-leg starting XI: Robin Le Normand comes in for Johnny Cardoso, who drops to the bench.
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The big news for Arsenal: Miles Lewis-Skelly is rewarded for his impressive showing in midfield against Fulham with a starting spot. His replacement of Martin Zubimendi is one of five changes from the starting line-up in Madrid: Eberechi Eze, Bukayo Saka, Riccardo Calafiori and Leandro Trossard also start tonight, at the expense of Noni Madueke, Gabriel Martinelli, Piero Hincapié and captain Martin Ødegaard, who all drop to the bench. Kai Havertz has shaken off his injury concerns and is named as a sub.
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The teams
Arsenal: Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori, Rice, Lewis-Skelly, Saka, Eze, Trossard, Gyokeres.
Subs: Kepa, Setford, Mosquera, Hincapie, Odegaard, Gabriel Jesus, Martinelli, Norgaard, Madueke, Havertz, Zubimendi, Dowman.
Atlético Madrid: Oblak, Pubill, Le Normand, Hancko, Ruggeri, Simeone, Llorente, Koke, Lookman, Griezmann, Alvarez.
Subs: Musso, Gimenez, Mendoza, Johnny, Sorloth, Baena, Almada, Lenglet, Molina, Vargas, Bonar, Diaz.
Referee: Daniel Siebert (Germany)
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On The Buses. Both teams have arrived at the Emirates, their team buses winding their way through a crowd in full party mode on the streets of Holloway. Atleti stayed in a different hotel to the one they used for their aforementioned 4-0 thumping in October, the five-star Courthouse Hotel in Shoreditch as opposed to the four-star Marriott Hotel in Regents Park. Diego Simeone was asked about the switch, amid reports of his ordering it on the grounds of jinxing, superstition, bad luck, etc., and deadpanned: “The hotel was cheaper.” The smile he flashed seconds later suggested he wasn’t telling the whole story. Whether he was similarly smiling last night as sleep-bothering fireworks were set off near that hotel has not been reported.
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Here’s some more statistical encouragement for Arsenal. They’ve lost just two of their last 23 games in the Champions League, winning 17; are unbeaten in the competition this season; and have lost just one of their last 24 home matches in Europe. Atleti by contrast have won only two of their last 13 matches against English teams, losing the last four away. But they have won six of their last seven semi-finals in Europe, a fact we add because it is possible to have too much statistical encouragement, confidence often leading to second guessing, feelings of suspicion, then finally full-blown paranoia. Even keel, everyone, even keel.
Arsenal will be buoyed by Manchester City’s failure to beat Everton last night, the holy grail of a first Premier League title in 22 years within touching distance now. But they had to use up some precious energy beating Fulham at the weekend, while Diego Simeone had the luxury of resting his entire first-choice team in seeing off Valencia, making 11 changes from the first leg. Still, if you can’t get yourself pumped up at the business end of the Champions League, when can you? And Arsenal are pumped up.
After last week’s result, both clubs have statistical history on their side. Arsenal have won six of their last nine European ties in which they’ve drawn away in the first leg, while Atleti have won six of their last ten European ties in which they’ve drawn the first leg at home. Meanwhile Arsenal are one from one in Champions League semi-finals against opposition from La Liga, having beaten Villarreal 1-0 on aggregate in 2006 … but Atleti are three from three against Premier League opponents at the same stage in European competition, beating Liverpool on away goals in the 2009-10 Europa League, Chelsea 3-1 on aggregate in the 2013-14 Champions League, and Arsenal themselves in the 2017-18 Europa League. So it turns out we are at the Something’s Got To Give stage after all.
Preamble
The two biggest names in European football never to win the continent’s biggest prize meet for a place in the final. It’s 20 years since Arsenal found themselves 14 minutes from glory, only for Barcelona to hit them with a couple of sucker punches; their continental roll of honour (one Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, one Cup Winners’ Cup) is absurdly short given the size and status of the grand old club. Atlético Madrid have made more of an imprint in Europe, with three Europa Leagues, a Cup Winners’ Cup and three Super Cups, but the big one has eluded them as well: they’ve suffered the trophy being snatched from under their nose in excruciating circumstances not just once but three times, in 1974, 2014 and 2016, insult being bundled up with injury on the latter two occasions by good old Real Madrid.
We’re not quite at the Something’s Got To Give stage, seeing this is just the semi, and whoever gets through will be strong second favourites against either Bayern Munich or PSG. But something’s got to give at some point, surely, and reaching the final is the necessary step in making that dream possible. So here we are. Atleti were the better side last week in Madrid, yet Arsenal were nevertheless a contentious penalty decision away from a priceless victory. Mikel Arteta’s men were certainly the better side when the teams met during the league phase last October, though, scoring four goals in 14 second-half minutes. So both teams will fancy their chances. Kick-off is at 8pm BST. Extra time and penalties not beyond the realms. It’s on!
