Arsenal
Arsenal send Atlético packing with three Arteta masterstrokes
Arsenal secured their place in the Champions League final for the first time in 20 years, beating Atlético Madrid 1–0 at the Emirates to advance 2–1 on aggregate. Arteta got every big call right on the night, and three decisions in particular stood out as the difference between glory and heartbreak.
Trossard over Martinelli changed the entire attacking dynamic
Arteta made a purely tactical call to start Leandro Trossard instead of Gabriel Martinelli, and it worked like a charm. Trossard put in a shift with his pressing, messed with Atlético’s defensive shape, and played a massive part in the winning goal. His stinging strike forced a save from Jan Oblak, and Bukayo Saka pounced on the rebound to tuck it away just before halftime. Martinelli, despite his pace, likely wouldn’t have posed the same positional threat against Atlético’s stubborn low block.
Saka’s calculated substitution protected the lead and the player
Arteta pulled Saka off after the goal to a massive round of applause from the Emirates crowd, a smart move to manage a player who has been nursing an Achilles issue for months. It was a calm, level-headed call that Simeone, looking stressed on the touchline, simply couldn’t match. Taking Saka out mid-game, rather than risking a setback in a frantic second half, showed Arteta had total faith in his defence.
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The high press from the first whistle neutralised Atlético early
Arsenal controlled the ball and pinned the visitors back with a high-intensity press from the word go, giving Atlético only two early looks through Julián Álvarez and Giuliano Simeone. Declan Rice ran the show in the first leg with his distribution and driving runs, and Arsenal brought that same dominance into the second leg, choking the life out of Atlético before they could find any rhythm. Simeone’s side, having leaked at least two goals in seven of their last 10 away games, never really looked like scoring. Arsenal are heading to Budapest.
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