April 17 – With an outstanding away performance and a late Gabriel Martinelli strike, Arsenal defeated Real Madrid 2-1 to eliminate the European champions 5-1 on aggregate from the Champions League.
All week Real Madrid and its players had talked of a ‘remontada’ but with a mature and calculated attitude, Arsenal proved there was no coming back from a first-leg 3-0 defeat. It was a different performance from Mikel Arteta’s team – the attacking bravura made way for two compact defensive lines with a pair of front players constantly pressing.
Madrid had no answer. They missed a controlling force like retired star Toni Kroos or a prime Luka Modric. Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo ran at Arsenal’s fullbacks but Madrid struggled to weave proper patterns to unlock Arsenal’s back four.
Instead, Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard bossed the match. Rice had been instrumental in the first-leg victory with two superb free kicks and once again he proved invaluable to Arsenal, this time in a less glamorous but industrious role, constantly winning possession and driving the play.
“He was decisive today in a different way. I think it was immense,” said Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta. “His presence, the power that he showed, how composed he was, with or without the ball, I think he led the team in many moments and turns the game in our favour. I think that’s why we need players at his level to step up and have a big contribution, and he certainly has done that.”
Other Arsenal players could claim to be the man of the match. Two weeks after his return from injury, Bukayo Saka missed a first-half penalty with a nonchalant chip, but he rose again to lift the ball in glorious fashion past Thibaut Courtois in the 65th minute. Brazil’s Martinelli got Arsenal’s second in the third minute of stoppage time to clinch a famous victory.
Real had equalised two minutes after Saka’s opener after a slip from William Saliba allowed Vinicius a clear route to goal. But it was a rare moment of indecision and failure from Arsenal. For the first time since 2004, Real Madrid have been eliminated from the Champions League in the last eight.
Arsenal will play Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-finals. In the other last-four tie, FC Barcelona will meet Inter Milan, who eliminated Bayern Munich 4-3 on aggregate on Wednesday.
To contact the write of this story, Samindra Kunti, email. moc.l1744889575labto1744889575ofdlr1744889575owedi1744889575sni@i1744889575tnuk.1744889575ardni1744889575mas1744889575
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