Arsenal
Arsenal edge past Atletico Madrid to reach Champions League final
Arsenal booked their place in a first Champions League final since 2006 on Tuesday night, grinding out a 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid at the Emirates to secure a 2-1 aggregate victory. In a tense second-leg semifinal, Bukayo Saka provided the winner just before the break. He was quickest to react when Jan Oblak spilt a stinging Leandro Trossard shot, and Arsenal’s star man made no mistake from close range.
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David Raya didn’t have a massive amount to do, but he dealt with crosses well and looked composed throughout — 7/10.
Ben White pushed up high as usual, providing an outlet on the right and keeping things tidy — 7/10.
William Saliba was dominant for the most part, though one lapse in concentration almost let Atletico back into the game; however, his overall display still earns a 7.5/10.
Gabriel was just as physical, winning almost every header that came his way — 7.5/10.
On the left, Riccardo Calafiori put in a shift, helping out in the final third while staying disciplined at the back — 7/10.
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Midfield battle and the decisive Saka spark
Declan Rice ran the show in midfield, breaking up play and leading the press with his usual energy — 8/10.
Youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly looked sharp until a knock cut his night short in the second half — 6.5/10.
Saka was the standout performer, scoring the decisive winning goal, earning a 9/10.
Eberechi Eze found it hard to get into the game and never really got going; we give him 5.5/10, which reflects a quiet night.
Leandro Trossard, however, was a constant threat. His low drive forced the error from Oblak for the goal, and his work rate off the ball was top-notch — 7.5/10.
Up top, Viktor Gyokeres made life difficult for the Atletico centre-backs with his movement. He should have buried a big chance to double the lead, but it was a strong performance regardless — 7/10.
Off the bench, Martin Zubimendi helped Arsenal regain their shape after Lewis-Skelly went off — 7/10.
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Club captain Martin Odegaard also made his return in the second half, providing the calm heads needed to kill the game off — 7/10.
Arsenal are off to Budapest now for the final!