Arsenal hold on as Real Madrid’s Bernabeu comeback dreams fade
Real Madrid were denied a comeback against a stubborn Arsenal. Despite the electric atmosphere at the Santiago Bernabeu and an attacking lineup featuring Mbappe, Vinicius, and Rodrygo, the Madrid team posed little threat to Arsenal, who had led 3-0 from the first leg.
Mbappe’s Offside, Courtois’ Save, and VAR Deny Madrid’s Penalty
At the start of the match, Mbappe thought he had scored in the second minute, but he was in an offside position. This did not break Arslan’s resolve. In the 12th minute, he was awarded a penalty, but Thibaut Courtois denied it to Saka, who saved his team with a stunning save. Real Madrid were awarded a penalty, but referee Francois Letexier ruled it out after a VAR check. Arsenal dominated the game in general and opened the scoring logically in the 64th minute, before Vinicius briefly equalized in the 68th minute.
Saka makes up for the penalty and leads Arsenal to exploit Real Madrid’s frustration
Real Madrid’s frustration continued in the second half, and Arsenal’s impressive defensive efforts paid off when the No. 7 made amends with a superb second-half tap-in from Mikel Merino, before Saka put the visitors ahead on the hour mark. That lead lasted just two minutes as William Saliba’s costly error allowed Vinicius Junior to pounce and level.
Martinelli concludes the red night in Madrid
As the match drew to a close, Gabriel Martinelli capped off a wonderful evening in the Spanish capital, setting up a clash with Paris Saint-Germain. His stoppage-time winner (90+3) secured Arsenal’s place in the Champions League semi-finals. With this goal, the London club confirmed their aggregate lead and demonstrated their readiness to face the upcoming challenge against the Parisian giants.
