Arsenal reached the Champions League final on Tuesday evening - sparking 'chaotic' celebrations inside and around the Emirates Stadium
09:01, 06 May 2026
Arsenal reached the Champions League final on Tuesday
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Arsenal reached the Champions League final on Tuesday(Image: Matt Impey/Shutterstock)
Arsenal are 90 minutes from European immortality after they reached their first Champions League final in two decades on Tuesday evening.
The Gunners needed just one goal at the Emirates Stadium to beat Atletico Madrid after a 1-1 draw in Madrid last week. Bukayo Saka was the man of the moment as he turned in a rebound from Leandro Trossard's strike.
And after the full-time whistle, there was pandemonium at the Emirates as the Gunners celebrated reaching a European final. Declan Rice, who had dived into the crowd after the whistle, opened up on the scenes in the dressing room.
Arsenal beat Atletico Madrid to spark the celebrations at the Emirates
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Arsenal beat Atletico Madrid to spark the celebrations at the Emirates(Image: Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
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“It is chaos," Rice admitted. “I don’t think you can underestimate what we have done in this competition up to this point.
“I think we have every right to celebrate that moment. The most prestigious competition in club football. We are just trying to soak it all in. We knew coming into the game what was at stake.
“If you can’t get up for that, then you can’t get up for any game of football. When we went 1-0 up, I knew we were going to win. I could feel something special building.”
Arsenal players were dancing in the dressing room
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Arsenal players were dancing in the dressing room(Image: Getty Images)
Rice was then asked by Daniel Sturridge if there had been any dancing in the dressing room: “Yeah, you’re right, it was going off.”
The celebrations weren't just limited to the pitch - fireworks were set off from the roof of the stadium. "The stadium let off fireworks? You don’t win anything in the semi final," one fan said on X.
"Fireworks sounding off around the Emirates and they haven’t even won the thing how tinpot," a second fumed. And another added: "Someone tell them they haven't actually won it yet..."
Wayne Rooney wasn't impressed
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Wayne Rooney wasn't impressed(Image: Javier Garcia/Shutterstock)
Wayne Rooney, who was appearing on Amazon Prime as pundit, wasn't too happy with the celebrations too: "They haven't won it yet. I think the celebrations are a little bit too heavy.
"Celebrate when you win...but no, they deserve it."
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And Arsenal fans certainly wouldn't be told how to celebrate by the Manchester United icon as they spilled out of the Emirates and into pubs surrounding the stadium to continue their party into the early hours of the morning.
The Gunners will find out their opponents in Budapest on Wednesday, as PSG and Bayern Munich renew their rivalry.