Real Madrid 1-2 Arsenal (1-5 on aggregated): Bukayo Saka went from zero to hero to help Arsenal hang their first leg and to set up a semi-final collision of the Champions League with PSG
Bukayo Saka recovered from an early penalty miss to send Arsenal to the semi-final of the Champions League. The Gunners gave a lead of three goals about Real Madrid from the first stage on the way to Wednesday's trip to the Bernabeu.
They had the chance to extend that lead for only 13 minutes in the second stage when Mikel Merino was knocked down in a corner. Saka stepped up to take the spot kick, but his terrible decision to try a Panenka led Thibaut Courtois to make it.
A terrible side of Madrid thought they had their own punishment 10 minutes later when Kylian Mbappe claimed to have been brought down by Declan Rice. Referee François Letexier originally agreed with the Frenchman, but destroyed his decision after a VAR assessment of five minutes.
The draw was ended as a match with 25 minutes to go when Saka overbreed Courtois from close by. Vincius gained a goal almost almost from the restart, when the William Saliba gave him the ball, so that the Brazilian could shoot in an empty net.
Gabriel Martinelli wrapped things in stopping -time after he clearly broken with the side of Mikel Arteta now opposite PSG in the last four for a place in the final in the Allianz Arena in Munich. Here Mirror Football looks at the biggest points of Wednesday's collision.
Arsenal waiting at the end of 16 years
It is 16 years ago that Arsenal was last in the semi -final of the Champions League. That waiting has finally ended with a statement victory over Real Madrid.
The Gunners will now be confronted with PSG in the last four, with the French giants who survived a comeback in the second row of Aston Villa. The duo are the two favorites, with Barcelona and Inter Milan the other two semi-finalists.
Arsenal's Run in the Knockouts of 2009 was terminated by Manchester United. Mikel Arteta hopes to avoid the same fate in the clash from his side with PSG as they offer in a place in the May final.
Silly Saka
With just 13 minutes disappeared, Bukayo Saka got an excellent chance to put the draw anything but Real Madrid. The winger got the ball to take a penalty after the Gunners were rewarded a spot kick.
Referee François Letexier rated the pitchside monitor of VAR before pointing to the place after Mikel Merino was taken down on a corner. Although it seemed as if Martin Odegaard could take it, Saka eventually got the responsibility.
But in a ridiculous movement, given the effort, the English international chose to try to chip Thibaut Courtois. It was a terrible decision in which the ball did not even go the middle, hit the leg within Courtois and bounced a corner.
Var Nightmare
Ten minutes after Saka's Miss, Letexier had a fine assigned to Madrid after he had judged Declan Rice to have brought down Kylian Mbappe. Repetitions suggested that this was the wrong call, whereby Var Jérôme Brisard revised the decision.
However, the review became a farce, eventually more than five minutes. Rice argued about his innocence because he was also booked by Letexier.
Rice was left relieved when the referee assessed the pitchside monitor and decided to overthrow his decision. Nevertheless, it again showed the most important limitations of the current VAR system.
Gunners' Tactics becomes clear
It is little surprise that Arsenal has maintained a lead of three goals of the first stage. They only had 34 percent of the possession in the first half when Real Madrid dominated.
But that dominance did not translate into clear opportunities, where Madrid did not appear a shot on goal before half time. Arsenal was in fact more dangerous in the future and forced Courtois in a number of stops.
The opposite number of the Belgian showed that the tactics that Arsenal was exercised, where David Raya often took as much time as possible before he took goal kicks. He was even booked nine minutes before the break for the destruction of time.
Rice's Masterclass
Declan Rice has signed two of Arsenal's three goals in the first stage and showed his defensive skills to protect that guidance. The Englishman was a colossus in midfield on the Bernabeu and won his fight against Jude Bellingham.
Two important moments in the second half showed the importance of Rice in front of Mikel Arteta. First Bellingham broke in the box and made himself up to shoot, but Rice came back in time to block it for a corner.
With 30 minutes left, he closed a threatening counterattack from Madrid by easily intercepting the pass from Federico Valverde to Vinicius. Rice eventually made four interceptions, four recovery and he played a key role in Saka's goal to strengthen his leading place in the Arsenal team.
Saka has the last smile
After he has rejected his chance of the criminal place in the first half, some would be forgiven for the confidence of Saka. But the winger bounced back from his disappointment to consistently terrorize Madrid David Alaba.
He then delivered the crucial opening goal that ensured anything but Arsenal of their semi-final place. Saka was played by Mikel Merino, where the Englishman casually over Courtois and in the Net lifted.
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