Arsenal booked their place in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals for the first time in 16 years with a commanding 2-1 win over Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu, sealing a 5-1 aggregate triumph over the Spanish giants.
Having arrived in Madrid with a comfortable 3-0 lead courtesy of Declan Rice’s brilliance in the first leg, Mikel Arteta’s men knew they only needed a disciplined performance to see the job through. They started with exactly that, soaking up early pressure from Real before nearly putting the tie out of sight.
Arsenal were handed a golden chance to extend their advantage when VAR spotted Raúl Asencio’s foul on Mikel Merino in the box. But Bukayo Saka’s cheeky chipped penalty was brilliantly read and saved by Thibaut Courtois.
Real Madrid briefly thought they had a route back into the contest when Kylian Mbappé went down under a challenge from Rice, but after a long VAR review, the penalty decision was overturned. Despite dominating possession, the 15-time champions struggled to break down Arsenal’s organised defence, and David Raya remained largely untroubled as the first half ended goalless.
Knowing they needed a miracle, Real came out with renewed intensity after the break. Mbappé missed a clear header from close range, while Vinícius Júnior curled a tame shot into Raya’s arms. Yet it was Arsenal who struck the decisive blow.
In the 65th minute, a slick passing move ended with Merino slipping a perfect ball through to Saka, who made up for his earlier miss by delicately lifting the ball over Courtois to put the result beyond doubt.
Real Madrid responded almost immediately. Just two minutes later, Vinícius capitalised on a rare mistake from William Saliba to slot home into an empty net, reducing the deficit on the night—but not the tie.
Arsenal remained in control and added a final flourish deep into stoppage time when Gabriel Martinelli raced clear on the counterattack and finished coolly to seal a historic victory for the Gunners.
The result means Arsenal have progressed in 19 of 21 UEFA knockout ties after winning the first leg at home. Meanwhile, Real Madrid will have to regroup quickly, with attention turning to a crucial La Liga clash against Athletic Club as they look to close the gap on leaders Barcelona.
