Arsenal reached the Champions League final for the first time in 20 years as Bukayo Saka’s goal clinched a 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid at the Emirates Stadium to complete a 2-1 aggregate victory.
On a momentous night for the club, Saka turned home the decisive goal just before half-time after Leandro Trossard’s shot had been parried by Jan Oblak, ensuring that Arsenal will face either Bayern Munich or Paris Saint-Germain in Budapest on May 30.
The Gunners, aiming to lift the trophy for the first time in their history having been beaten by Barcelona in their only previous final appearance in 2006, were deserving winners but had to come through another fiercely-contested encounter with Atletico.
It might have turned out differently had the excellent Declan Rice not made a vital tackle to prevent a certain goal from Giuliano Simeone in the first half. There was another goal-saving challenge on the same Atletico player by Gabriel Magalhaes after half-time.
Bukayo Saka celebrates the goal that sealed the victory
But Arsenal, dogged in claiming a draw in last week’s first leg, produced another outstanding defensive display to limit Atletico’s chances, clinching a ninth clean sheet in 14 European games and a 30th in all competitions this season.
They also missed chances to kill the tie at the other end of the pitch. The tireless Viktor Gyokeres spurned the best of them, firing over the crossbar from substitute Piero Hincapie’s low cross when well placed to score in the centre of the box.
In the end, though, Saka’s goal proved sufficient, as Arsenal saw out the closing stages in relative comfort before jubilant scenes of celebration which included manager Mikel Arteta sprinting onto the pitch to join his players after the final whistle.
Atletico Madrid’s Giuliano Simeone missed a huge chance under pressure from Gabriel Magalhaes
Arsenal will now switch their focus back to the Premier League title race, with West Ham next up on Super Sunday, knowing they will have the chance to finish an epic campaign on an unprecedented high in Budapest at the end of May.
Arsenal’s record-breaking season
- Arsenal have equalled their club record for most wins in a single season (41 across all competitions), previously winning 41 in the 1970/71 campaign.
- Arsenal are now on their longest ever unbeaten run in the European Cup and Champions League (14 games), overtaking their 13-game run between March 2005 and April 2006.
- Arsenal kept a clean sheet for the 30th time across all competitions this season, with this their most in a single campaign since 1993/94 (30) and most by a Premier League team since Liverpool in 2021/22 (32).
What’s next for Arsenal?
Arsenal will turn their attention back to the Premier League title race as they take on relegation-threatened West Ham on Sunday May 10, live on Sky Sports with kick-off at 4.30pm.
When’s the Champions League final?
The 2026 Champions League final takes place on Saturday May 30 at the 67,000-capacity Puskas Arena in Budapest, Hungary. Kick-off is 5pm BST.
Sunday 10th May 4:00pm
Kick off 4:30pm
