Arsenal eliminate Real Madrid from Champions League, advance to semi-final: Live updates and reaction – The New York Times

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Arsenal have advanced to the Champions League semi-final for the third time in the club's history with a 2-1 victory against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu, winning 5-1 on aggregate.
Having won the first leg 3-0, Arsenal increased their advantage in the 65th minute with a lovely chipped goal from Bukayo Saka. Madrid cancelled that strike out just two minutes later as Vinicius Junior caught William Saliba napping, but a goal in second-half stoppage time from Gabriel Martinelli put the result beyond any doubt.
In a frenetic first half, Saka had seen a Panenka penalty saved by Thibaut Courtois, while VAR intervened at the other end to deny Real Madrid a spot kick of their own.
Arsenal will face Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-final while Barcelona and Inter will meet in the other last-four tie.
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Real Madrid 1 Arsenal 2 (1-5 agg) – Exceptional Arsenal, Saka strikes back and Madrid’s 42 crosses
The 2024-25 Champions League final will be held at Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena on Saturday, May 31.
The 75,024-capacity arena has hosted various key events in the football calendar since it opened in 2005.
It hosted the 2006 World Cup’s opening match, as well as the semi-final between France and Portugal. The stadium hosted several European Championship matches in 2020 and 2024.
The Allianz Arena was the venue for the 2012 Champions League final, when Chelsea lifted the trophy with a penalty shoot-out victory over Bayern Munich.
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UEFA Champions League semi-finals: How to watch, dates, kick-off times – and the teams analysed
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The Champions League semi-finals are available to watch via Paramount+ in the United States, as the exclusive English-language rights holders of the competition.
In the UK, the semi-final legs taking place on Tuesday are available to watch via Amazon Prime Video, while the Wednesday night clashes are available with a TNT Sports subscription (or can be streamed via discovery+).
Of course, we will be covering them live on The Athletic too.
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Once Arsenal have climbed down from cloud nine, their attention will turn to their Premier League trip to Ipswich Town on Sunday. Although, with very little to play for domestically, their focus will not deviate too far away from the Champions League.
Defeat for Arsenal at Portman Road and a victory for Liverpool away against Leicester City would confirm Arne Slot's side as Premier League champions.
As for Real Madrid, they still have a domestic title to play for, although they are four points back from Barcelona with seven games left.
Carlo Ancelotti's men host Athletic Club at the Bernabeu on Sunday evening knowing that only victory will do as they look to retain their La Liga crown.
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When Mbappe, Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo line up across Madrid’s front line, you immediately picture a high-octane, fluid attack.
Incisive running, mazy dribbles, and slick, one-touch interplay are all things that you typically associate with Ancelotti’s side but against Arsenal tonight their modus operandi was different: get the ball into the mixer.
It wasn’t just the volume that stood out, but the lack of precision. Many of these balls into the box were aimless — overhit, underhit, or floated into zones where no one in white was poised to challenge.
Arsenal dealt with them comfortably, keeping their shape and resetting before the next hopeful delivery. None of Madrid’s front three are renowned for their aerial threat.
If anyone was going to profit from that approach, it was their England midfielder Jude Bellingham — and even that felt like a stretch.
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Arsenal were one of the Champions League’s best defensive teams coming into the quarter-finals.
Before facing Madrid, they ranked first in the competition this season for expected goals (xG) against per game (0.88), while only Inter (0.2) had conceded fewer goals per game than Arsenal’s 0.6.
After scoring three times in the tie’s first leg, being organised at the Bernabeu was not a tough ask for Arteta’s squad. Even so, the way they defended both collectively and individually was exceptional.
Individually, Jurrien Timber was proactive against Vinicius Jr. Saliba and Jakub Kiwior wasted no time getting touches on crosses and shots from range. Rice and Partey ensured no passes or cutbacks could reach their targets.
Rice and Kiwior continued to shine when isolated in the second half, and it was telling that Vinicius Jr’s goal came from an Arsenal error in build-up.
Saliba not being aware of his surroundings was uncharacteristic, but also an important reminder to always stay switched on ahead of the semi-finals.
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It felt like a huge turning point for Arsenal.
A first-half penalty for Madrid, the aggregate score potentially reduced to 3-1 and Rice on a yellow card: the England midfielder playing the next hour on a knife-edge and knowing he would be suspended for the first leg of the semi-final if Arsenal got through.
Rice was astonished when Letexier pointed to the spot after he had tussled with Mbappe. The booking that followed added insult to injury. Rice pleaded with Letexier that he was innocent and the VAR official agreed with the penalty and caution being rescinded five minutes later.
It’s impossible to overstate the England midfielder's importance to this Arsenal side.
He was, without question, the outstanding player across this tie, dominating midfield with and without the ball, scoring two exceptional free-kick goals in its first leg and leading his team in a way that makes him feel irreplaceable.
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Arsenal are in their third Champions League semi-final — and what a way to do it. Winning both legs against holders Madrid shows the levels Arteta has elevated this club to since taking over in December 2019 when they were playing in the second-tier Europa League.
Saka and Martinelli were young starlets then, so it was somewhat fitting that they were the two goalscorers in the Bernabeu. The performances of both were typically selfless and they got their rewards.
A point was made to Arteta about Jose Mourinho’s well-known “football heritage” phrase after the first leg. He said that he would prefer to hear it “in relation to big trophies” but recognised that clubs “have to start somewhere”.
Arsenal started on this journey a while back, but this is surely the best night of his time in charge by a long way.
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UEFA, the governing body for European football, announced in March 2024 the total prize pot for clubs competing in the Champions League would be €2.47billion (£2.12bn; $2.81bn).
The remaining clubs have already accumulated a significant sum through their route to the semi-final, in accordance with UEFA’s formulas.
From the league phase
From the knockout rounds
When it was confirmed that Gabriel would miss the rest of this season with a serious hamstring injury, many feared Arsenal wouldn't have a chance against Real Madrid.
But Jakub Kiwior partnered William Saliba superbly over both legs and will surely remain at the heart of the defence in what remains of the campaign.
Gabriel, clearly in the early stages of his recovery from surgery, looked very happy with this evening's outcome as he watched with his nearest and dearest.
Jake B.: So happy for Martinelli. Works non-stop, to get a winning goal at the Bernabeu in stoppage time… amazing.
Pires C.: So many underrated performances: Two assists from Merino and how many headers and duels won, takes three Madrid players to stop Myles Lewis-Skelly every time he brings the ball forward, and Kiwior, Kiwior… I take every word back I’ve said about you.
Sean M.: If we come through this – we can put a stop to the “Arteta has to deliver a trophy next season”. He clearly continues to make this a better team every year.
Luco O.: Saliba with a gaffe in front of the Bernabeu. That could make the summer easier 😂
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William Saliba and Real Madrid may have a ring to it, but it would be a war of attrition to try to sign him
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Luis Enrique’s PSG had a slow start to their Champions League campaign, but there is little doubt they have clicked into gear.
This year’s iteration of Luis Enrique’s side are more cohesive, coordinated and coherent than they have been for many years — in and out of possession. While Villa did give them a scare in their second-leg quarter-final clash with their direct attacks, PSG were deserving winners.
Much like Barcelona, PSG have a blend of technical quality with devastating pace when working the ball through the thirds.
In Joao Neves, Vitinha and Fabian Ruiz, they have midfield control, which allows any one of Ousmane Dembele, Bradley Barcola, Desire Doue or Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to cause mayhem in the forward line.
Those attackers will frequently rotate across the pitch, popping up in different positions to prevent the opposition from tracking them. No player personifies such rotation as Dembele, whose 32 goals in all competitions has seen him explode as a clinical goalscorer this season.
Where previously PSG’s star-studded line-up would lack the requisite tactical discipline at the latter stages of the competition, this version feels like a proper team.
It was 10 seasons ago that Luis Enrique won an incredible treble with a Barcelona side that played exactly in his image. A decade on, there is every chance he can repeat the feat.
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When it comes to statement victories, nothing quite matches knocking out the kings of Europe, Real Madrid, from the Champions League.
Yet for Arsenal — so often underwhelming in the knockout stages in recent years — it all looked remarkably routine, and Arteta’s side will now be surging with belief they can go all the way.
Despite Rice’s breathtaking free-kicks stealing the headlines, this is a team built on defensive solidity. No side has conceded fewer expected goals per 90, with the centre-back pairing of William Saliba and the now-injured Gabriel forming the bedrock of that resilience.
Jakub Kiwior deputised impressively for the Brazilian against Real Madrid, limiting Kylian Mbappe to just two shots on target in the game at the Emirates. This should give Arsenal confidence they can maintain their strong defensive foundations.
At the other end of the pitch, a returning Bukayo Saka gives Arsenal that genuine potency up front and he has scored this season against PSG (albeit via a free-kick cross that evaded everyone).
In his absence their attack looked stodgy and predictable, despite Merino’s effective performances as a makeshift centre forward.
Opta’s supercomputer has made Arsenal favourites to go on and lift the trophy in Munich. They have the momentum, tactical nous, and individual brilliance to make that happen.
GO FURTHER
UEFA Champions League semi-finals: How to watch, dates, kick-off times – and the teams analysed
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Brutal honesty from Carlo Ancelotti in his post-match interview with TNT Sports.
💬 “(I am) sad, of course. We are out of this competition that is so important to us. We want to analyse both games.
“We tried to put more pressure on this game but it was difficult because Arsenal defended really well. They were really compact, as they are used to being. They are really strong and to be honest, they deserved to win and I hope the best for them.
“No excuses, they were better than us in the two games. Sometimes that happens in football that you are not able to be superior to the opponent. We have to accept this is a setback.”
With Real Madrid eliminated from the Champions League, they're left with two trophies to pursue this season.
In La Liga, they currently sit in second place, four points behind Barcelona and three points ahead of intra-city rivals Atletico Madrid with seven games to play.
And in the Copa del Rey, it will be an El Clasico final as Madrid will take on Barca at Estadio de La Cartuja in Seville next Saturday, April 26.
Looking further ahead, Madrid will also play in this summer's 32-team Club World Cup.
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Bukayo Saka was more than happy to discuss his penalty miss in that post-match interview.
💬 “It can happen. I tried something and it didn't work but I was confident I was going to score. I kept my head and I managed to do it in the second half.”
And the 23-year-old spoke of using that miss to fuel his development.
“I learn in every moment. I'll learn from it and move forward. But tonight I'm more focused on enjoying the week and maybe tomorrow or next week I'll review it properly.”
More from Bukayo Saka's post match interview with TNT Sports.
💬 “I'm very, very proud of this team. We've showed that we can play in Europe and beat one of the best teams in the world home and away.
“Tonight was a big statement and I'm so happy for everyone.”
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Real Madrid fans would have been concerned seeing Kylian Mbappe roll his ankle in that challenge with Declan Rice, and limping off shortly after.
But the club have said Mbappe only has a slight sprain to his right ankle and that it doesn't seem serious.
They will assess him again on Friday.
Speaking after the match, Carlo Ancelotti spoke of the need for his Real Madrid players to keep their heads for the rest of the season.
💬 “I don't think it's right to make an analysis today. We have to accept this tie, the blows that come… The same thing I've said to the players: we have to keep our heads up.
“Other years we have done better than others, this year we have to suffer and endure. In sport this can happen, there are no invincible teams. There has been a lack of attitude on a collective level.”
When asked whether he would change anything, he said: “No.”
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As Mikel Arteta said after the match, Arsenal's history in the Champions League is not nearly as storied as they would like it to be.
But tonight marked the second time they have eliminated the holders.
The other time they managed it was against Italian giants Milan in 2008, drawing 0-0 at the Emirates Stadium before winning 2-0 at San Siro in the second leg.

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