Bukayo Saka’s first-half goal was sufficient to ship Arsenal into their first Champions League last in 20 years with a 2-1 combination win over Atletico Madrid.
A tense, tetchy and tight tie went to the wire however Saka’s close-range end was sufficient for Mikel Arteta’s males to guide their place in Budapest.
They may face both holders PSG or Bayern Munich on 30 Might.
The breakthrough got here when proper on half time Leandro Trossard made house for a low shot which Jan Oblak may solely spill out into hazard.
Saka, match sufficient to start out large on the correct, reacted sharply to fireside in and put Arsenal 2-1 up on combination.
It was a lead they held on to with a relative stage of consolation on an evening which solely noticed 4 efforts on track mixed.
Holders PSG knocked Arsenal out in final season’s semi-finals and will lie in wait once more later this month -a week after they hope to have sealed a primary Premier League title for 22 years.
Arsenal’s solely earlier Champions League last look was in 2006 when they misplaced to Barcelona.
Over the steadiness of the 2 legs, the Gunners simply about shaded Atletico whose harmful frontline have been largely saved in examine on an evening of stress and then celebration in north London.
Declan Rice was wonderful all through whereas Viktor Gyokeres led the road in combative vogue. The Swede missed the perfect probability of the second half, firing over after a marvellous cross from substitute Piero Hincapie, as Arsenal largely performed on the counter within the second 45 minutes.
Diego Simeone was seeking to ship Atletico to a 3rd last underneath him however his resolution to take off each Antoine Griezmann – in his last Champions League look – and Julian Alvarez within the 66th minute backfired.
The guests provided little and solely a flurry of late yellow playing cards added any spice to the night.
Premier League finalists within the Champions League period
- Manchester United: 1999, 2008, 2009, 2011
- Liverpool: 2005, 2007, 2018, 2019, 2022
- Arsenal: 2006, 2027
- Chelsea: 2008, 2012, 2021
- Tottenham: 2019
- Man Metropolis: 2021, 2023
