Arsenal won Champions League glory with a win over Atletico

London — Arsenal Their first arrived UEFA Champions League Final after 20 years Bukayo SakaIts 45th-minute tap-in gave the Gunners one 2-1 Semi-final total win Atlético Madrid.

On a tense and highly emotional night at the Emirates Stadium, Soccer’s close-range finish was enough to secure a 1-0 win on the night and sparked jubilant scenes at the final whistle as manager Mikel Arteta and his players ran the length of the pitch to celebrate. The Gunners have never won the Champions League before, losing 2-1 Barcelona In their only previous appearance in 2006.

Atlético started the better of the two teams Julian Alvarez And Giuliano Simeone Both threatened early on, but Arsenal increased their dominance and broke the deadlock just before the break. Victor Gaikeres His cross was eventually found on the byline Leandro Trossardwho worked an opening to shoot him in the right leg. Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak His shot was saved, but Saka was on the first rebound.

A great challenge from Simeone denied him an equaliser Gabriel MagalhaesAt the other end, Gyökeres side-footed a shot over the unmarked crossbar from 12 yards.

Substitute Alexander Zorloth wasted a late chance, but Arsenal set up a fightback with both to secure a win. Paris Saint Germain or Bayern Munich May 30 in Budapest. — James Ollie

---

– O’Hanlon: Why the Champions League tells us nothing about the Premier League
– Ogden: Why central midfielders are this summer’s biggest transfer trend
– Mohammad: Nagelsmann from Man United? Matching top teams with new managers

---

Historic night for Arsenal

Arteta has often highlighted Arsenal’s modest record in this competition as a reminder to any disbelievers that they are already relatively great. It was the first time they had reached the semi-finals of the Champions League in their history and only their second final in 20 years after their first.

The atmosphere inside the Emirates Stadium came together instantly. Thousands of fans lined the streets to greet the team bus, they unveiled a new tifo as the teams walked out, and the noise throughout the evening was deafening. The final whistle triggers nothing short of a party. Arteta encouraged his players to line up in unison and run towards the supporters in celebration at both ends of the pitch.

There has been some debate over whether Arteta will agree to a new deal — he has 12 months left on his existing contract — as Arsenal fans wonder if he can keep the team in line and win major trophies after a six-year drought. This ultimate question remains to be answered, but achievements like these are groundbreaking moments. The Spaniard may have already silenced his doubters. — Ollie

Simeone’s Atleti fall short once again

For 90 minutes, it seemed that Diego Simeone kicked every ball at the Emirates. The Atlético coach never once sat on his bench, instead spending the entire game on the edge of – or often outside – his technical area, shouting instructions to his players and debating every referee’s decision. There wasn’t a moment when Simeone wasn’t trying to make a tactical change, adjust the shape of the team and find answers to the problems Atlético faced.

In extra time, when the rain came down, Simeone was still there, almost on the pitch, telling the referee to hurry up the Arsenal goalkeeper. David Raya Taking a last goal kick and earning a yellow card. The coach transformed Atlético from top to bottom as a club, making them Champions League regulars, a real force in European football and two-time finalists in the competition. But there won’t be a third time, at least not this season.

Atletico’s 2025-26 Champions League campaign has been admirable, especially since they eliminated Barcelona, ​​and there have been long spells in the tie where Simeone’s side have been equal to, or even superior to, Arsenal. But they lacked the ability to be clinical — Simeon’s favorite word in Spanish, use of force— at crucial moments. Here, they did not capitalize on their limited opportunities. Simeone was active in the second half and had the courage to withdraw two of his most talented players, Antoine Griezmann And Julian Alvarez early on — substitute Alexander Sorloth spurned a great chance to level — but the coach’s bold decisions were not rewarded.

At full-time, Simeone was back on the field, going to the far corner to greet the traveling Atlético fans. With an experienced captain immediatelyWho was great, was the last man off the field. Both have spent considerable time in Europe since the 2014 final. It remains to be seen whether they will get such an opportunity again. — Alex Kirkland

Arsenal’s native star delivered again

Bukayo Saka’s return to Arsenal’s lineup has come at the right time. For weeks, they’ve lacked consistent cutting in the final third, but last Saturday, he needed just 45 minutes to settle. Fulham Away with a great assist and a great goal. His match-winning strike here was a simple tap-in but still required caution to react first as Oblak palmed out Trossard’s shot to his left.

Saka became the first Arsenal player to score in two Champions League semi-finals since scoring against Paris Saint-Germain 12 months ago. He has now scored in back-to-back matches — as many goals as he managed in his previous 26 appearances — as he struggles for form and fitness.

Sol Campbell was the only player to score in a final for Arsenal in 2006. Saka had to leave after an hour as he returned from an Achilles injury, but it was another step forward for the 24-year-old. Don’t bet against Campbell with his feat in Budapest. — Ollie

Griezmann leaves everything on the pitch

In what was Atletico Madrid’s biggest game for nearly a decade, Simeone told his players to “give their soul, their everything”. Antoine Griezmann did just that.

In what will now be his final Champions League appearance, the 35-year-old has been nothing short of outstanding for Atletico, providing a stark reminder of what the team will lose and Orlando City will gain this summer. One first-half moment summed up his contribution: cutting back into the Atletico penalty area to help his team defend, and then celebrating as if he had scored a goal when he helped his team win a goal kick. In his 66 minutes on the pitch, Griezmann’s stats outside of possession were impressive: four tackles, eight duels and two recoveries. In that time, only one Atlético teammate has contributed more defensively.

Meanwhile, at the other end, Griezmann was involved in almost every part of the promising attacking play from the visitors. When Atlético’s first chance came, for Julian Alvarez in the eighth minute, Griezmann started the move. Three minutes later, it was Griezmann’s pullback that forced David Raya into a save, with Giuliano Simeone close to converting the second ball. In the second half, with Atletico trailing by a goal, Griezmann came closest to equalizing — his shot was saved by Raya, before the forward was fouled. Ricardo Calafiori. Atlético were furious not to receive a penalty kick.

Griezmann was substituted in the 66th minute, not because he underperformed, but because he gave everything. A penalty miss in the final will leave him with no chance to shake off the ghosts of 2016. When he moved here, it seemed Atletico’s prospects went with him. — Kirkland

The Gunners’ rock-solid defense held firm

A key factor in the recent wave of gunners Premier League They started leaking goals, whereas earlier in the campaign, scoring a goal would be enough to win. They have had no such problems in the Champions League, conceding just six goals in 14 games en route to the final. Only two teams in Champions League history have more than Arsenal’s nine shutouts in the competition this season (2015–16 Real Madrid, 2005–06 Arsenal).

Gabriel Magalhas and William Saliba cementing their reputation as one of the best centre-back pairings in Europe, and the former was particularly invaluable here. Some key moments went his way, most notably when Simeone was challenged in the box six minutes after halftime. Arsenal also needed substitute Alexander Sorloth to fluff his lines five minutes from the end when presented with a great chance to equalise. But those slices of luck were earned by a team that was solid at the back, to the extent that they are still unbeaten in the competition.

PSG or Bayern Munich will still give them a stern test, but if they defend resolutely for one more night, they will have a chance. — Ollie