Arsenal held firm at the Emirates Stadium, defeating Atletico Madrid 1-0 in front of a home crowd to clinch a spot in the 2026Champions League final with a 2-1 aggregate victory.
The match began as a tactical carbon copy of the first leg at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano, with Arsenal dominating possession but struggling to convert their control into genuine scoring threats against a disciplined Spanish defense.
However, just as the match seemed destined to go into halftime scoreless, the breakthrough arrived. Leandro Trossard unleashed a powerful strike that forced a parry from Jan Oblak, and Bukayo Saka pounced on the rebound to slot home the game’s only goal.
Atletico threw everything at the Gunners in the second half in search of an equalizer, but Arsenal’s backline remained impenetrable. With their ticket to their second Champions League final in their history officially punched, the Gunners now await the winner of Wednesday’s clash between Bayern Munich and PSG at the Allianz Arena.
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End of the game!
Arsenal defeated Atletico Madrid 1-0!
88'- Atletico don't give up (1-0)
The Spanish side is throwing everything at the Gunners in a desperate search for an equalizer to keep its aggregate hopes alive.
83'- Modification in Arsenal (1-0)
Leandro Trossard was replaced by Gabriel Martinelli.
81'- Yellow card in Atletico Madrid (1-0)
Marc Pubill received a yellow card.
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80'- Llorente tries from the distance (1-0)
Marcos Llorente tried from outside the box but his shot lacked of power and was easily saved by Raya.
78'- Arsenal push for the second goal (1-0)
Arsenal have found their rhythm as the half progresses, ramping up the pressure in search of a second goal to put the series on ice.
73'- Modification in Arsenal (1-0)
Myles Lewis-Skelly was replaced by Martin Zubimendi.
69'- White tries from the distance (1-0)
After a mistake from Atletico, White tried his luck from the distance but his shot went wide of the post.
66'- Modifications in Atletico (1-0)
Julian Alvarez and Antoine Griezmann were replaced by Alex Baena and Thiago Almada.
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65'- Gyokeres almost scores! (1-0)
After a great scross from Hincapie, Gyokeres had a golden chance to net the second goal but his effort sailed over the crossbar.
62'- Atletico pushing for the equalizer (1-0)
Atletico are dominating possession as they hunt for the equalizer that would level the aggregate score and keep their dreams of a new final alive.
57'- Modifications in both teams (1-0)
Atletico: Giuliano Simeone, Robin Le Normand and Ademola Lookman were replaced by Johnny Cardoso, Alexander Sorloth and Nahuel Molina.
Arsenal: Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze and Riccardo Calafiori were replaced by Noni Madueke, Martin Odegaard and Piero Hincapie.
55'- Great save by Raya! (1-0)
Griezmann delivered a powerful strike inside the box but Raya made a great save to deny Atletico the equalizer!
50'- What a miss by Simeone! (1-0)
Following a rare mistake by Saliba, Simeone rounded the keeper and looked destined to net the equalizer, but Gabriel recovered brilliantly to slide in and knock the ball out for a corner.
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The second half is underway!
Arsenal and Atletico Madrid are already playing the second half!
First half summary
In a first half that mirrored the tactical chess match of the opening leg at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano, Arsenal dominated possession while Atletico Madrid remained content to sit deep and absorb pressure.
Despite a lack of clear-cut chances for much of the period, the deadlock was finally broken just before the break. Following a stinging strike from Leandro Trossard, Jan Oblak managed to parry the ball away, but it fell perfectly for Bukayo Saka. The England international was waiting at the back post to tap it home, sending the Gunners into the locker room with a crucial lead.
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) May 5, 2026
38'- Great defensive job from Atletico (0-0)
The visitors are remaining rock-solid defensively, effectively neutralizing any threat through both the center of the pitch and the flanks.
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33'- Nice save from Oblak (0-0)
Gabriel whipped a cross into the area that took a heavy deflection off an Atletico defender and looped toward the goal, but Oblak adjusted well to claim it and neutralize the threat.
28'- Atletico gaining rhythm (0-0)
Atletico are beginning to see more of the ball, forcing Arsenal into a high press in an attempt to pull the Gunners out of position and exploit gaps in the defense.
23'- Arsenal in better form (0-0)
Arsenal are currently in much better form, dominating possession and forcing Atletico Madrid to retreat deep into their defensive shell.
18'- Nice try from Gabriel! (0-0)
Gabriel found a pocket of space and unleashed a powerful low drive from distance that went just wide of Oblak's post!
16'- Arsenal with their first chance (0-0)
Following a deep corner kick, Bukayo Saka found himself unmarked at the far post, but his strike sailed wide of the target.
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11'- Another try from Atletico (0-0)
Following a brilliant team move, Griezmann whipped a dangerous cross into the box for Simeone, who looked certain to score until Declan Rice came up with a massive block to deny the strike.
7'- Atletico with the first chance (0-0)
Giuliano Simeone found Julian Alvarez following a cross, but the Argentine's shot went wide of the post.
5'- Cagey start in London (0-0)
Arsenal are dominating possession in the early stages, but they have struggled to break through and create clear-cut chances. Atletico Madrid remain characteristically well-organized in their defensive block, effectively neutralizing the hosts' threat even as they struggle to win back the ball.
GAME ON!
The game between Arsenal and Atletico Madrid is underway!
Players are on the pitch!
Players from both teams are on the field for the Champions League anthem. Everything is ready for the start of the match!
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Arsenal looking to play another Champions League final
Arsenal remain on a quest to conquer Europe for the first time in club history. Arsenal's only previous appearance in a Champions League final came 20 years ago in 2006, when they suffered a heartbreaking 2-1 defeat to Barcelona at the Stade de France in Paris.
Why are Havertz, Odegaard and Martinelli not playing?
Kai Havertz, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Martinelli won't start today the game at Emirates Stadium. While German and the Norwegian have recently recovered from injuries, Arteta opted to leave them on the bench. As for the Brazilian forward, the Spanish manager went with Leandro Trossard instead in a purely tactical move.
Both teams doing warm up activities
Players for both sides have taken the field for warmups at the Emirates Stadium!
Arsenal still undefeated
Arsenal remain firmly on the path to becoming one of the few unbeaten winners in UEFA Champions League history. So far this season, the Gunners have been dominant, boasting a record of 10 wins and 3 draws. They have a legitimate chance to become only the 12th club in the history of the competition to lift the trophy without suffering a single loss.
Atletico Madrid lineup confirmed!
Atletico's starting XI: Jan Oblak; Marc Pubill, David Hancko, Robin Le Normand, Matteo Ruggeri; Giuliano Simeone, Koke, Marcos Llorente, Ademola Lookman; Antoine Griezmann, Julian Alvarez.
Daniel Siebert has been appointed to officiate the clash between Arsenal and Atletico Madrid. He will be joined on the field by Jan Seidel and Rafael Foltyn, who are set to serve as the assistant referees.
Full officiating team:
Referee: Daniel Siebert (GER)
Assistant Referee 1: Jan Seidel (GER)
Assistant Referee 2: Rafael Foltyn (GER)
Fourth official: Tobias Stieler (GER)
VAR: Bastian Dankert (GER)
Kickoff time and where to watch
Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid will get underway at the Emirates Stadium at 3:00 PM (ET).
Fubo will be the primary option to watch Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid in the USA. The others options to enjoy the game are: DirecTV Stream, Paramount+, Hulu + Live TV, CBS, Univision, TUDN and ViX.
Arsenal and Atletico Madrid clash in the 2026 UEFA Champions League!
Welcome to our live blog of the 2026 UEFA Champions League! Arsenal host Atletico Madrid at the Emirates Stadium in their second leg of the semifinals, after a 1-1 draw at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano.
Stay with us for all the action and minute-by-minute updates of this exciting game!
Gianni Taina is a bilingual journalist, fluent in English and Spanish, with a specialization in soccer, NBA, and tennis. He began his professional career in 2020 with Mundo Deportivo US, where he first established himself as a writer. Throughout his career, Gianni has covered major sports events such as the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the NBA Finals, and Grand Slam tournaments like the French Open. His ability to report on real-time events and perform well under pressure has made him a valuable member of a top-tier team of journalists. In 2024, he joined Bolavip US, bringing his expertise in soccer, NBA, and tennis to deliver original content while providing live coverage of important events.
