Arsenal thrash holders R’ Madrid reach Champions League semis
Arsenal have booked their place in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals for only the third time in club history after a 2-1 win over Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu, completing a dominant 5-1 aggregate victory. Having secured a 3-0 first-leg advantage, the Gunners extended their lead in the 65th minute through a delightful chipped […]
Arsenal players
Arsenal have booked their place in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals for only the third time in club history after a 2-1 win over Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu, completing a dominant 5-1 aggregate victory.
Having secured a 3-0 first-leg advantage, the Gunners extended their lead in the 65th minute through a delightful chipped finish from Bukayo Saka. However, Real Madrid responded just two minutes later, with Vinicius Junior capitalizing on a lapse in concentration from William Saliba.
Gabriel Martinelli’s stoppage-time strike ensured Arsenal’s safe passage to the final four, ending Madrid’s hopes of another dramatic comeback.
Post-match, Player of the Match Declan Rice described the night as monumental for the North London club. “It’s such a special night for this club, a historic night for this club,” he said. “We have an objective in this competition, we want to play the best teams and win this competition.”
Rice added: “There was a lot of talk coming here about them coming back because they have done it so many times before. But we had so much belief and confidence from that first leg… We knew we were going to suffer, but we knew we were going to win. What a night for the club.”
Elsewhere, Inter Milan advanced to face Barcelona in the semis after a thrilling 2-2 draw with Bayern Munich. Lautaro Martinez and Benjamin Pavard scored for Inter, while Harry Kane and Eric Dier found the net for Bayern. Despite Dier’s looping header in the 75th minute, the 4-3 aggregate result ended Bayern’s European campaign.