Real Madrid vs Arsenal LIVE: Result and reaction after Mikel Arteta’s side book spot in semi-finals with famous win
Real Madrid 1-2 Arsenal (1-5 agg.): Mikel Arteta’s men held firm before striking late on to secure another outstanding victory
Arsenal held off Real Madrid to book their place in the Champions League semi-finals with another outstanding performance.
Mikel Arteta’s side took a 3-0 lead into the second leg in the Spanish capital after a sublime showing at home last week, and knew anything bar a total collapse would be enough to take them through to the last four. It appeared they had made the perfect start when they were awarded a penalty after a review by the video assistant referee (VAR), only for Bukayo Saka’s chipped effort from the spot to be saved by Thibaut Courtois.
The visitors were then grateful again for VAR’s intervention after Declan Rice was deemed to have fouled Kylian Mbappe, only for the referee to overturn his decision after consulting the screen. Real Madrid created reasonably few chances thereafter in a lacklustre showing, allowing Saka to atone with a cute finish in the second half to make Arsenal’s position even more secure. Though Vinicius Jr replied rapidly, there was not to be any of Real Madrid’s usual conjuring in this competition as Arsenal held firm for a famous European success, with Gabriel Martinelli adding gloss and securing a victory on the night in stoppage time.
Re-live all the Champions League action with our live blog below:
A impressive start for Lewis-Skelly
In the first leg of this tie, Myles Lewis-Skelly became just the third English teenager to assist a goal in a Champions League knockout stage match.
All three of those have done so while playing for Arsenal: Theo Walcott in 2008 (vs Milan and Liverpool), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in 2012 (vs Milan) and Myles Lewis-Skelly in 2025 (vs Real Madrid).
Madrid's biggest threat?
Currently on 28 goals and 21 assists, Vinícius Junior could become the fourth different Real Madrid player to reach 50 goal involvements in the Champions League after Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, and Raul.
Mbappe in form
Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe has been directly involved in eight goals in eight knockout stage games against English sides in the Champions League (seven goals, one assist).
He’s also scored four goals and got one assist in his last four home outings.
High press success
Despite averaging more possession (53.4%), Arsenal made 115 high-intensity pressures in the final third in the first leg of this tie.
This was more than three times as many as Real Madrid, whose total of 36 was the lowest of any side across this season’s quarter-final first legs.
The history of comebacks that mean Arsenal cannot switch off against Real Madrid
In the hours immediately after Real Madrid’s 3-0 defeat to Arsenal, their chastened players insisted on making a point.
They started posting on social media about how it’s not over, which may seem the sort of banality that modern stars do, but was actually part of something more concerted.
Why Arsenal cannot switch off for a second against Real Madrid
Strong offence, strong defence
Arsenal have scored an average of 2.55 goals and conceded 0.55 per game in the Champions League this season (28 scored, six conceded overall).
Both of these stats are their second-best averages in a single European Cup/Champions League campaign, after the 2.63 scored in 2010-11 and 0.31 conceded in 2005-06.
Four in a row for Arsenal?
Arsenal could equal their longest winning run away from home in the European Cup/Champions League (4).
The only previous time they won four in a row, the fourth game of that run was a victory against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu (1-0 in February 2006, last 16 first leg).
Fortress Bernabeau
Since the start of the 2015-16 season, this will be the 16th time that Real Madrid have played the second leg of a Champions League knockout stage tie at home.
Of the previous 15, they’ve only been eliminated on one occasion (vs Ajax in the last 16 in 2018-19), and progressed from the last eight in a row.
How many goals will Real Madrid score?
Across the 53 games that Real Madrid have played against English sides in the European Cup/Champions League, they’ve managed to win by more than three goals on just two previous occasions: 5-1 v Derby County in 1975-76 (last 16) and 4-0 v Tottenham Hotspur in 2010-11 (quarter-final).
Three goal deficit a big task to overturn
Real Madrid’s defeat at the Emirates Stadium was the fifth time they have lost the first leg of a knockout stage tie in the European Cup/Champions League by 3+ goals.
They’ve been eliminated in the second leg in three of the previous four occasions (the exception being against Derby County in the last 16 in 1975-76, winning 6-5 on aggregate after a 1-4 defeat in the first leg).
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