Arsenal pulled off a great win at the Santiago Bernabeu, taking down Real Madrid 2-1 on the night and 5-1 on aggregate. This marks their first Champions League semi-final in 16 years. Not only does this victory boost their European status, but it also makes them the first English team to beat Real Madrid twice at the Bernabeu, with their last win coming 19 years ago. Bukayo Saka had a rough start after missing a first-half penalty but made up for it with an amazing goal that helped Arsenal secure a spot in the last four, where they’ll face off against Paris Saint-Germain. Saka Shines as Arsenal Reach Semis.
Early Drama and Missed Chances
The match kicked off with excitement right away as Kylian Mbappe put the ball in the net for Madrid just two minutes in, but it was ruled offside. Arsenal responded with two big chances, both for Saka. After his powerful shot was saved by Thibaut Courtois, he got a penalty when Raul Asencio fouled Mikel Merino during a corner. It wasn’t called at first, but VAR stepped in to give the spot-kick. Saka tried a fancy Panenka, but Courtois easily saved it. Saka Shines as Arsenal Reach Semis.
Penalty Controversy and VAR Drama
Not long after, Real Madrid thought they had a penalty when Declan Rice clashed with Mbappe. The referee pointed to the spot, getting the Bernabeu crowd all hyped, but a long VAR check followed. After about five minutes, the penalty was taken away, much to Arsenal’s relief. Arsenal managed to slow things down, and despite the pressure from Real, they didn’t get a shot on target in the first half. Courtois had to make another save to deny Gabriel Martinelli, leaving Arsenal looking more dangerous as the first half ended.
Saka’s Redemption and Madrid’s Brief Hope
After halftime, Saka produced a bit of magic to make up for his earlier miss. He connected well with Odegaard and Merino, chipping the ball over Courtois with a much better finish than his penalty. Real Madrid replied quickly when William Saliba lost the ball to Vinicius Junior, who scored to make it 4-1 on aggregate. But even with over 20 minutes left, it was clear that Real wasn’t going to bounce back.
Martinelli seals it in style
As the match slipped away for Real, their frustration grew, especially when Mbappe limped off with 14 minutes to go. Arsenal kept their cool, and in stoppage time, Martinelli broke free to score, wrapping up a 2-1 win on the night. The overall score of 5-1 showed Arsenal’s strength across both legs and sets up an exciting semi-final against PSG. It was a night to remember for Arteta’s squad—historic and filled with confidence that they could go all the way.
