Arsenal 1-0 Atletico Madrid (2-1 on aggregate)
Arsenal will play the Champions League final on the 30th of May in Budapest against one of Bayern Munich or Paris Saint-Germain, after narrowly defeating Atletico Madrid in the semi-final. After a first-half goal from Arsenal gave Mikel Arteta’s side the lead, Atletico were unable to convert their meagre openings.
Diego Simeone had to be delighted with his side’s start, with Antoine Griezmann and Julian Alvarez combining to make life uncomfortable for the hosts. Gabriel Magalhaes had to prevent the latter getting off a clean shot, and Declan Rice was required to get a key block on Giuliano Simeone after an excellent ball from the by-line from Griezmann. To the surprise of the English media, Atletico began in hot pursuit of Arsenal, pressing hard and high up.
💣🚨 BREAKING – TONIGHT’S XI:
Oblak
Pubill – LE NORMAND – Hancko – Ruggeri
Giuliano – LLORENTE – Koke – Lookman
Griezmann – Alvarez pic.twitter.com/7PahzKRswZ
— Atletico Universe (@atletiuniverse) May 5, 2026
Yet that balance was redressed as the half went on, with Arsenal spending more time in the Atletico half. Like Los Rojiblancos, their dangerous attacks were largely limited to dangerous balls across the box without working Jan Oblak. Marcos Llorente and Matteo Ruggeri were the best examples of an Atletico that always got a foot in just in time, physical and chippy.
In the final minute of the first half though, Arsenal took the lead. A rare break free of the backline found Viktor Gyokeres down the right channel. Having forced him wide, Oblak retreated, but Gyokeres lofted a ball to the far post, which found Leandro Trossard. His shot was kept out by Oblak, but no more, with Bukayo Saka nipping ahead of Ruggeri and David Hancko to tap into the net.
Like the first half, the second period started off well for Atletico, with Los Colchoneros pushing high and moving into good positions. Only Griezmann managed to force David Raya into action though, and Giuliano Simeone missed the golden chance. After an errant backwards header, Giuliano rounded Raya, but could not wrap his foot around the ball to poke it into the net under pressure from Gabriel Magalhaes.
A string of changes followed, with Arteta and Simeone making eight changes between them in the first quarter of the second period. With Atletico desperate, now without Griezmann, Lookman and Alvarez, the game began to open up in the wrong way for Simeone’s side though. Gyokeres was picked out by Piero Hincapie with a golden chance, but couldn’t keep the bouncing ball down from the centre of the goal.
Moving into the final 20 minutes, the feeling was that Arsenal had the game where they wanted it. Atletico, incapable of founding the composure they needed to sustain attacks, were drawn into an exhausting game of football with little time on the ball, and less craft. The rare opening they did get was caused by Alexander Sorloth, but Gyokeres and Arsenal felt just as threatening on the break, with Marc Pubill on a mission to keep Atletico in the tie.
With five minutes to go, it was Sorloth that Alex Baena layed the ball back to, but he scuffed his shot. Aside from a penalty appeal that was waived away due to a supposed foul on Gabriel, that might have been the moment Atletico fans lamented most – they knew it would be the last chance. Los Rojiblancos finished the game with a single striker on the pitch, and no emergency measures next to Sorloth, unable to instigate an onslaught in search of the equaliser.
A Champions League journey that gave so much to Simeone and Atletico in terms of belief, identity and spirit comes to an end at the penultimate hurdle. Part of the electric feel that Los Rojiblancos had given to their fans was the feeling that when they got up ahead of steam, they could blow apart any opposition in their way. Not only did Arsenal find a way to stick a spanner in the Atletico motor, but Simeone’s side looked short of gas in the closing stages. The frustration will be accompanied by a sense of impotency, as they watched Arsenal celebrate a ebullient victory.
