Real Madrid lost 2-1 to Arsenal at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu as they got knocked out of the UEFA Champions League in the quarterfinals on Wednesday. The aggregate score was 5-1 in favor of Arsenal, who will face Paris St-Germain in the next round. This marks the third time Arsenal has reached the semifinal stage of the Champions League.
The match got off to a promising start for Arsenal, with Bukayo Saka stepping up to take a penalty in the 13th minute. However, the England international’s penalty was saved by Thibaut Courtois after a weak attempt at a panenka. Saka made amends for his miss when he scored a fantastic chipped goal over Courtois in the 65th minute, courtesy of Mikel Merino’s clever pass.
Real Madrid responded well to the setback, with Vinicius Junior scoring a goal just two minutes after Saka’s strike. The Brazilian forward capitalized on a terrible mistake from William Saliba, which gifted him an open goal. Despite the momentum shifting in Real’s favor, Arsenal held firm and sealed the win with a stoppage-time goal from Gabriel Martinelli.
Martinelli’s goal was set up by Merino, who played a crucial role in Arsenal’s victory. The Spanish midfielder’s vision and passing ability proved to be a thorn in Real Madrid’s side, as he created scoring opportunities for his teammates. Arsenal’s win is a testament to their teamwork and strategy.
The match was marked by controversy, with Real Madrid being awarded a penalty that was later overturned after a lengthy check with the video assistant referee. Kylian Mbappe had thrown himself to the floor following minimal contact from Declan Rice, but the referee’s decision was eventually reversed.
Arsenal’s victory sets up a mouth-watering semifinal clash with Paris St-Germain. The Gunners will be looking to build on their momentum and make a deep run in the competition. With their current form and squad depth, Arsenal fans will be optimistic about their chances of progressing further in the tournament.
Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice, who scored a brace of a free kick in the first leg, tagged it a special night.
“It is such a special night for this club, a historic night for this club. We had an objective in this competition – we wanted to win this competition. We had so much belief and confidence that we had enough to come here and win the game. We had it in our minds, and we have done it in real life. What a night for the club.” He said.
