Arsenal beat Atlético Madrid 1-0 in the Champions League semi-final second leg at Emirates Stadium—securing a 2-1 aggregate win—with Bukayo Saka scoring the only goal. The Spanish side, needing to overturn the first-leg 1-1 draw, dominated at times but lacked clinical finishing. Mikel Arteta guides the Gunners to their second-ever final in Budapest.
Atlético Madrid was knocked out by Arsenal in the 2025-2026 UEFA Champions League semifinals after a 1-0 second-leg defeat, advancing Arsenal 2-1 on aggregate. On May 5, 2026, in London, Bukayo Saka scored the decisive goal in the 44th minute, finishing a rebound from Jan Oblak after Leandro Trossard's shot. This blow just before halftime confirmed Arsenal's place in the Budapest final.
Diego Simeone fielded the same starting eleven as in the 1-1 first leg at the Metropolitano, with Koke, Antoine Griezmann, and Julián Álvarez controlling midfield. Atlético started strongly, creating early chances through Álvarez and Giuliano Raya, but failed to convert. Mikel Arteta's Arsenal defended compactly and countered effectively.
In the second half, Atlético pushed forward with substitutions like Sorloth, Molina, and Almada, but wasted key opportunities, including Sorloth's air swing. Controversy erupted over a potential penalty on Griezmann from Calafiori's stomp, waved off due to a prior foul on Pubill. 'Lack of finishing doomed Atlético,' sums up EL PAÍS coverage.
Arteta shifted to containment and counterattacks after the goal, frustrating Atlético's siege. Arsenal reaches its second-ever Champions League final, while Simeone's side exits Europe after a valiant but unrewarded effort.
