Arsenal held off a spirited Real Madrid challenge to secure a 2-1 win at the Bernabeu, advancing to the Champions League semi-finals with a 5-1 aggregate victory.
Despite missing a penalty, Bukayo Saka atoned for his miss with a brilliant chipped goal over Thibaut Courtois, effectively ending Real’s hopes.
The match was marked by controversy, including a disputed penalty decision that was overturned after a lengthy VAR check.
Saka’s initial penalty miss seemed to galvanize Arsenal, and Mikel Merino’s clever pass set up Saka’s decisive chip.
Real Madrid briefly threatened a comeback when Vinicius Junior scored after a William Saliba error, but Arsenal sealed the win with Gabriel Martinelli’s stoppage-time goal, again set up by Merino.
Arsenal will face Paris St-Germain in the semi-finals, following a 2-0 win over the French champions in the league phase.
Despite the challenge ahead, Arsenal’s recent performances have shown promise, and they will look to build on their momentum as they push for their first Champions League title.
