Arsenal reached the Champions League final for the first time in 20 years after defeating Atletico Madrid 1-0 on May 5, 2026, at the Emirates Stadium. This victory secured a 2-1 aggregate win in the semi-final.
Bukayo Saka scored the decisive goal just before half-time. His performance highlighted his importance to the team, as he has been directly involved in 14 goals in 14 Champions League appearances at the Emirates Stadium.
This marks a historic moment for Arsenal. The club will face either Bayern Munich or Paris Saint-Germain in the final. Mikel Arteta praised his team’s effort, saying, “It’s an incredible night. We made history again together.”
In addition to reaching the final, Arsenal has equalled their club record for most wins in a single season with 41 victories across all competitions. They also kept a clean sheet for the 30th time this season.
Arteta will be the second-youngest manager to lead Arsenal in a major European final. This achievement comes during a season where Arsenal is on their longest unbeaten run in the European Cup and Champions League, with 14 games without defeat.
Diego Simeone, Atletico’s coach, acknowledged Arsenal’s success, stating, “If we got knocked out, it’s because our opponent deserved to go through.” He also remarked that Arsenal deserves their success due to their hard work over many years.
Next, Arsenal will focus on the Premier League title race, facing West Ham on May 10. The team aims to maintain its momentum as they pursue domestic and European glory.
