Arsenal booked their place in the Champions League final for just the second time in the club’s history with a 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid at the Emirates Stadium.
The semi-final tie was firmly in the balance after a 1-1 draw in Madrid a week ago and it always promised to be a tight, nervy reverse fixture.
Bukayo Saka scored the only goal on the night, turning in from close-range after Leandro Trossard’s effort was parried, and that proved enough for a 2-1 aggregate victory.
A first Champions League success is now within touching distance for Arsenal, who will face either Bayern Munich or Paris Saint-Germain in Budapest later this month.
Matt Verri was at the Emirates to rate the Arsenal players...
David Raya 6
Held his nerve early on when Atletico pushed really high up. Had to be bailed out twice by Gabriel - once when Simeone rounded him and then when he parried Griezmann’s shot straight out.
Ben White 8
What a time for his best performance of the season. Telepathic relationship with Saka was a constant threat and so many nice touches in attack. Rock solid defensively. Sensational.
William Saliba 8
Truly is world-class. Great pace and strength to stop Alvarez getting away in the first half. Perfect pass in behind created space for opener. Fortune one poor header was not punished after Gabriel heroics.
Gabriel 9
Incredible defending to deny Simeone after he had gone past Raya. Then launched himself in front of Pubill. Huge presence. Might be the best in the world at winning cheap free-kicks to relieve pressure.
Riccardo Calafiori 5
Struggled. Llorente and Simeone enjoyed plenty of joy down his right as he got overran. Unusually poor in the final third too - one wild shot and then stumbled into a challenge when picked out in space.
Big match, big performance. No surprise he rose to the occasion. Goal-saving block early on as Simeone looked certain to score. Several powerful driving runs. Corner delivery was superb too.
Myles Lewis-Skelly 8
Extraordinary turnaround in his standing at the club the last few days. Justified Arteta’s faith in him - what a performance. Deserved an assist when he fired ball across goal after brilliant turn.
Bukayo Saka 8
The man to fire Arsenal to Budapest. Alert to pounce on the rebound and get the goal that made all the difference. Atletico otherwise tripled up on him to keep him quiet. Barely had a kick in 15 minutes after half-time.
Eberechi Eze 5
Not his night. Some nice interplay with White and Saka but otherwise had little impact. Caught in possession more than once and did not offer enough off the ball. No surprise he was replaced when Arsenal needed security.
Leandro Trossard 7
His shot was parried out by Oblak into Saka’s path for the goal. So composed on the ball and crucial in keeping possession as the tension built. Worked tirelessly.
Viktor Gyokeres 8
Wasted a massive chance to make it 2-0 - had to score. Otherwise a real nuisance for the Atletico defenders. Ran them ragged in the channels, put his body about and his run and cross ultimately led to Saka’s winner. Looked like a man on a mission.
Substitutes:
Piero Hincapie (Calafiori 58’) 8
Sublime cross should have been turned in by Gyokeres. An absolute brick wall defensively as Arsenal held firm late on.
Martin Odegaard (Eze 58’) 6
Unable to get on the ball enough to really settle Arsenal down in the second-half but tidy on it when he did.
Noni Madueke (Saka 58’) 5
Backed out of a couple of challenges and did not do enough when in decent positions. Poor cameo.
Martin Zubimendi (Lewis Skelly 72’) 6
Brought real energy to the midfield late on as he snapped into challenges.
Gabriel Martinelli (Trossard 83’) N/A
