Saka sends Arsenal to Budapest as Atlético’s Champions League obsession is halted | OneFootball

Bukayo Saka struck just before half-time at the Emirates to send Arsenal into the Budapest final on 30 May, ending Atlético Madrid’s run after a semi-final balanced on a knife-edge. It will be only their second Champions League final after defeat to Barcelona in 2006. PSG or Bayern await, and Arsenal will not be favourites.

El Periódico Mediterráneo reports that, with the tie level at 1-1 from the first leg, both sides began cautiously, wary of errors. Atlético lured Arsenal forward, but the hosts refused to bite for fear of counters.

With five changes from the first leg, without Zubimendi and Odegaard but with Saka, Arsenal lacked guile between the lines until late in the half. Gyökeres’ run unsettled the defence, Trossard’s shot was parried by Oblak, and Saka reacted quicker than Ruggeri to finish from close range.

Madrid’s response never caught fire, aside from a glaring Giuliano chance. They appealed for a very clear penalty after Calafiori’s challenge on Griezmann, but an earlier foul wrongly given against Pubill cancelled any review.

Diego Simeone made five substitutions in eight minutes. Julián Álvarez’s sore ankle ended his outing just past the hour and an exhausted Griezmann soon followed. With Sorloth as a reference and Llorente charging, Atlético threw on energy rather than invention, but the damage was done.

The obsession remains in Madrid. Arsenal, limited yet relentless across a gruelling tie, now have a shot at history in Budapest.

Source: El Periódico Mediterráneo