Gunners Humble Real in Madrid to Seal Semi-Final Spot

TDT | Manama

Email : hussianm@newsofbahrain.com

Strong Start, Stronger Finish

Arsenal marched into their first Champions League semi-final since 2009 with a performance of composure and class, defeating Real Madrid 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday night to seal a dominant 5-1 aggregate victory.

A week after Declan Rice’s brace of free kicks put the Gunners firmly in command, Mikel Arteta’s men extinguished any hopes of a Madrid miracle with another assured display, capped by second-half goals from Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli.

Madrid’s Magic Falls Flat

Though Real threatened briefly—Vinicius Junior capitalized on a rare defensive lapse by William Saliba to pull one back—the reigning champions were a shadow of their formidable past. Not even Kylian Mbappe could ignite their usual European magic, as Arsenal’s backline, marshaled brilliantly by Gabriel and Saliba, kept the home side largely at bay.

“I think it's such a special night for this club, it's a historic night,” said Rice. “There was a lot of talk about them coming back from the dead... but we had so much belief.”

Saka Recovers, VAR Drama Unfolds

Saka had earlier missed a Panenka-style penalty after a foul on Mikel Merino, but he made up for it with a composed finish in the 65th minute to all but end the contest. Real’s best chance at a turnaround was denied by VAR, which overturned a controversial penalty awarded for minimal contact on Mbappe—sparking whistles from the frustrated Bernabeu crowd.

Late Flourish Seals the Night

Martinelli’s late goal was the final blow in a tie that Arsenal never looked like losing. Set up once again by Merino, the Brazilian broke clear to finish coolly in stoppage time, sending the traveling fans into delirium.

With PSG awaiting in the semi-finals, belief is building in North London—and Europe has taken notice.