In one of the most iconic nights in recent Champions League history, Arsenal marched into the semi-finals of the 2024/25 competition after a stunning 2-1 away win over Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu on April 16th. The result capped off an emphatic 5-1 aggregate victory for the North London side, marking their first appearance in the semi-finals since 2009.
The Gunners entered the second leg already leading 3-0 from the first match in London. Despite Real Madrid fielding an elite line-up featuring Kylian Mbappé, Jude Bellingham, and Vinícius Júnior, Arsenal remained composed and clinical. Bukayo Saka opened the scoring in the 65th minute, before Vinícius briefly reignited Madrid’s hopes just two minutes later. However, Gabriel Martinelli crushed any chance of a comeback with a 93rd-minute goal that sealed the tie and sent Arsenal fans into raptures.
The win is being hailed as a statement of intent by manager Mikel Arteta and a coming-of-age moment for Arsenal’s young core, which outplayed Madrid’s Galácticos on their home turf. Despite dominating possession (66%), Madrid were unable to convert chances, with Arsenal proving more efficient in front of goal and tactically superior across both legs .
Arsenal will now await the winner of Bayern Munich vs. Inter Milan in the semi-finals, with growing belief that this could be their year to finally lift Europe’s most prestigious club trophy.
You can read more about the match and full stats on the official UEFA site.
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