Arsenal in dreamland as Atleti are held off in the chase for Budapest final
- By Yann Tear at Emirates Stadium
- 9 hours ago
- 3 min read
Champions League semi-final second leg
Arsenal (1) 1 Saka 44
Atletico Madrid (0) 0
Aggregate: 2-1
It was never going to be 4-0 to Arsenal as it had been on Matchday Three when the Gunners hosted Atleti at the Emirates. But has 1-0 to the Arsenal ever sounded so good?
Through to only their second ever Champions League final. What a feat that is. As North London Forever rang out at the end, it was hard to think there has ever been a better feeling for the fans at the Emirates. Even the eviscerating of Spurs and last year's giddy triumph over Real Madrid wasn't quite as delicious-- and delirious - as this.
One little Bukayo Saka goal just before the break did the trick. There was so much suffering before and after that moment, as you'd expect. But the Gunners simply refused to yield after prising out that tiny aggregate advantage. They ran like demons, every man jack of them. Viktor Gyokeres had a superb game leading the line.
An arm wrestle of a match it may have been but Arsenal were the deserved winners. They seemed to want it even more than Atleti. They rightly cavorted with their jubilant fans at full time.
They are off to Budapest. Their unbeaten run in Europe is now 14 matches. Their record in this year's Champions League has been just about impeccable with no defeat since last year's semi-final against PSG.
The Gunners started with an aggressive line-up but a cautious approach. This was no time to be taking unnecessary risks, with the stakes so high. Myles Lewis-Skelly was retained in midfield after his star turn against Fulham at the weekend .
Early possession did not translate into anything resembling a threat until Ben White ushered Saka in from the right with a pass between two defenders and from the cutback, Gabriel drove just off target.
Before then, Atleti made a fast start and it needed a classic Declan Rice block to prevent the manager's son, Giuliano Simeone from taking advantage of a loose ball.
Lewis-Skelly darted into the the box, shielding the ball superbly to roll in a cross into the six-yard box that no-one was able to anticipate or reach.
Leandro Trossard fell to ground under the weight of an Antoine Griezmann challenge from behind - but not enough to persuade German ref Daniel Siebert to award a penalty.
But then came the moment that the Emirates could go wild. Gyokeres raced to collect a ball into the right channel and turned to float a cross to the back stick that reached Trossard. The Belgian steadied himself and fired low. Jan Oblak blocked it well but there was Saka to snaffle the rebound.
At half-time, the PA blared out Living on a Prayer. The line from the song was obvious: "Halfway there."
There still felt like much to do. A rare slip by William Saliba almost gifted an opening for Simeone but Gabriel somehow managed to rescue his team-mate's slack header with a challenge that looked perilously close to being called a foul.
Ditto the moment when Riccardo Calafiori's challenge in the box appeared to catch Griezmann.
It felt like a second goal might be needed and Gyokeres almost grabbed it with a volley just clearing the bar after a wicked low cross from the left from Piero Hincapie.
But no, this was one that would have to go the distance in terms of nerve-shredding anxiety. Yet it was all so worth it in the end.
They won't be favourites against either PSG or Bayern in Hungary on May 30, but that debate is for another day. Today is all about the joy of making it through to that final after a simply breath-takingly good week.
Gunners: (4-2-3-1) Raya - White, Saliba, Gabriel, Calfiori (Hincapie 58) - Rice, Lewis-Skelly (Zubimendi 73) - Saka (Madueke 58), Eze (Odegaard 58), Trossard (Martinelli 83) - Gyokeres
Atleti: (4-4-2) Oblak - Pubill, Le Normand (Sorloth 57), Hancko, Ruggeri - Simeone (Cardoso 57), Llorente, Koke, Lookman (Molina 57) - Griezmann (Baena 66), Alvarez (Almada 66)
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