Arsenal defeated Atletico Madrid 1-0 at the Emirates Stadium in their Champions League semifinal second leg to secure a place in the Budapest final. By clinching the ticket, manager Mikel Arteta joined an exclusive list featuring Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique, achieving an impressive milestone in the process.
Arteta has now become only the fourth Spanish manager to lead a non-Spanish club to a Champions League final. He joins a legendary trio that includes Rafa Benitez (Liverpool), Guardiola (Manchester City), and Luis Enrique (PSG).
This victory marks a monumental moment for Arsenal, granting them passage to just the second Champions League final in club history. The Gunners will face either Bayern Munich or PSG at Budapest’s Puskas Aréna on May 30.
Chasing European glory
Arsenal head to Budapest with a historic opportunity. If they lift the trophy, they will be crowned unbeaten Champions League winners, becoming only the 12th club in history to win the competition without suffering a single defeat.
Mikel Arteta celebrates Arsenal’s first goal vs Atletico Madrid. (Getty Images)
Arteta’s squad has been nearly flawless throughout the campaign, boasting a record of 11 wins and 3 draws. Its defensive discipline has been the backbone of this run, conceding only six goals in the tournament while racking up nine clean sheets.
A season for the record books
By reaching the final, Arsenal have equaled their all-time record for wins in a single season with 41 victories, matching the historic mark set during the 1970/71 campaign, according to statistics from Squawka.
The Gunners are currently in a unique position to complete a historic double: winning their first-ever Champions League title while securing their 14th Premier League crown. Arsenal currently hold a five-point lead over Manchester City (who have a game in hand) with only nine points left to play for in the domestic season.
