In a historic night at the Santiago Bernabéu, Arsenal ended their 16-year Champions League semi-final drought, shocking defending champions Real Madrid with a resounding 5–1 aggregate win.
The Gunners secured their place in the last four for the first time since 2009 after a resilient 2-1 loss at the Santiago Bernabéu on Tuesday.
Arsenal’s journey to the semi-finals was sparked by a commanding 3-0 victory at the Emirates Stadium in the first leg, where free-kicks from Declan Rice and a clinical finish from Mikel Merino put the Spanish giants on the back foot.
Despite Real Madrid’s efforts to mount a comeback, Arsenal held firm, with crucial goals from Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli in the second leg sealing the historic triumph.
Manager Mikel Arteta hailed the achievement as “monumental,” praising his squad’s character and focus against one of Europe’s most decorated clubs.
When asked about the next match with PSG, Arsenal’s manager Mikel Arteta said ““Let’s enjoy tonight and we will focus on them soon!”
Goalkeeper David Raya also emphasized the team’s composure under immense pressure, stating: “We dominated, we created chances and could have scored more, the job well done. Where is Remontada?”
The result also underlines a surprising stat: despite being the most successful club in European football history, Real Madrid has never beaten Arsenal in a competitive match.
Now, Arsenal turn their attention to the semi-finals,where the victory sets up an exciting semi-final clash with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), reigniting hopes among Arsenal fans for a return to the Champions League final for the first time since 2006.
The last time Arsenal met with Paris Saint Germain they won with 2:0 at the emirates stadium on October 1, 2024 with goals from Bukayo Saka and Kai Haverts.
As the Gunners celebrate breaking their long-standing semi-final drought, the football world watches eagerly to see if this resurgence will culminate in European glory.
