📸 Atletico-Arsenal: draw, penalty chaos 🤯 Alvarez tops Messi, injured 🚑 | OneFootball

Atlético Madrid and Arsenal drew 1-1 in the first leg of a UEFA Champions League semi-final that was far less spectacular in terms of goals than PSG-Bayern, but still intense, tense, and full of incidents.

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The early tempo is cagey, with both teams feeling each other out and struggling to find space, but it only takes one incident just before half-time to ignite the match. A penalty breaks the deadlock, amid protests from the Colchoneros, calmly converted by Viktor Gyökeres: Odegaard picks out the striker in the box, he gets in front of Hancko and, with great cleverness, feels the contact from behind and goes down. The referee has no doubts, everyone else does, but in this case VAR cannot intervene.

The momentum changes immediately after the break: Atlético push higher up the pitch and find the equaliser from the spot again. After a VAR review, the referee awards a penalty for a handball by White, and Julián Álvarez is ice-cold from 12 yards, making it 1-1 and adding to his record-breaking numbers: the Argentine becomes the fastest among his compatriots to reach 25 Champions League goals, overtaking Lionel Messi and Sergio Agüero, and also the first Atlético player to score ten goals in a single Champions League season.

From that point on, Diego Simeone’s side grow into the game and go close to taking the lead several times: Antoine Griezmann smashes the bar in a huge chance, while shortly after Ademola Lookman wastes a massive opportunity by shooting straight at Raya when one-on-one. In between, there is also concern for Álvarez, who is forced off after hurting his ankle following a challenge with Eberechi Eze.

Late on, another controversial incident: the referee awards a third penalty, this time to Arsenal, for contact between Hancko and Eze. Called over for an on-field review, however, the official overturns his decision and cancels the penalty, judging the contact not enough. A huge call that brings an end to a tight, balanced match that remains wide open ahead of the return leg, scheduled for Tuesday 5 May at the Emirates.

🔚 It ends 1-1: the return leg is on Tuesday at the Emirates!

😱 Another penalty: Hancko on Eze, OFR sends referee to the monitor

MINUTE 78 - Another dramatic twist, but it comes to nothing: a third penalty of the match is awarded, this time for Arsenal, then overturned.

The move comes out of nowhere, with a quick ball into the box finding Eze on Hancko’s blind side: the defender steps in and appears to clip the opponent’s foot, sending him to the ground. The referee points to the spot amid protests from all the Colchoneros, with Simeone miming the VAR screen gesture.

The referee is called to the OFR, reviews the incident and, after a few tense moments, decides to change his initial decision. No penalty for Arsenal: the contact is judged insufficient. Calvarese, speaking live, agrees with the referee’s decision to overturn the penalty. 

🚑⚠ Alvarez grabs his left ankle and goes off

MINUTE 76 - Concern for Atlético: Alvarez leaves the pitch after a challenge with Eze, coming off with an ankle problem. The Argentine, who had been one of the standout performers up to that point, is replaced by Baena. Julian does walk off calmly, so it may just be a precautionary substitution, but his condition will still need to be monitored over the coming hours ahead of next Tuesday’s return leg.

😱 Lookman misses an almost certain goal: straight at the keeper!

MINUTE 74 - Llorente delivers a perfect ball into the box and Lookman finds himself with the goal wide open after getting past White. The forward, however, cannot make the most of the chance and shoots straight down the middle, allowing Raya to make a crucial save.

🤯 INSANE Grizou crossbar: Arsenal let off the hook!

MINUTE 63 - Atlético nearly complete the turnaround with a breathtaking move: Ruggeri bursts down the left and puts a perfect ball into the middle, Griezmann arrives and hits it first time with a classy effort aimed at the top corner. Raya is beaten, but the crossbar saves Arsenal and keeps the score level.

🥶 Alvarez breaks Messi and Kun Aguero’s record!

With his goal, Alvarez becomes the Argentine to reach 25 Champions League goals in the fewest matches, setting a new record. It is an extraordinary milestone that sees him surpass even Lionel Messi (41 vs 42 matches) and Kun Aguero (48).

⚠ White, penalty awarded only after OFR: Alvarez equalises!

MINUTE 55 - Another incident that sparks controversy, this time at the other end. Llorente hits a volley and the ball strikes White’s outstretched arm, triggering protests from the home side. The referee initially waves play on, but VAR intervenes and sends the official to the on-field review.

After the check, the referee awards Atlético Madrid a penalty. From the live angle the handball is immediately obvious, but the slow-motion replay also shows the ball touching his left leg first. A ricochet nonetheless punished, just like the one given against Alphonso Davies last night.

Alvarez steps up and this time gives no chance: a ferocious strike into the top corner, Raya stands still, and the equaliser is in.

For the Argentine, it is yet another confirmation from the spot: his third consecutive penalty scored in this Champions League and his tenth goal of the tournament overall, more than any other Atlético player has ever managed in a single Champions League season. Numbers befitting a true leader.

😅 Alvarez makes Piccinini “celebrate”: free-kick just wide

MINUTE 49 - Alvarez lets fly with a powerful free-kick from 30 metres that forces Raya to dive toward the post. The ball, however, hits the outside of the net, briefly creating the illusion of a goal for much of the stadium and even for Sandro Piccinini, the unmistakable voice of Prime Video.

🤯 Architect Rice: only 2 misplaced passes out of 55 in the 1st half

🥪 The bocadillo king in action again at the Metropolitano!

⚽ Hancko on Odegaard: very doubtful penalty, Gyokeres scores

MINUTE 44 - An incident that raises plenty of doubts and, for now, decides this first chapter between Atlético and Arsenal.

The Gunners win a huge penalty. Odegaard picks out Gyokeres in the box, the striker gets in front of Hancko and, with great cleverness, feels the contact from behind and goes down. The referee has no doubts: he points to the spot amid protests from the home side.

Calvarese says the referee cannot be overruled because it is a footballing contact with the attacker in possession of the ball. Number 14 takes the penalty himself and makes no mistake: Oblak guesses right but cannot keep it out, with the ball slipping under his hands. Koke and his teammates continue to show their displeasure toward the referee.

⚠ Koke-Gabriel, Arsenal appeal

MINUTE 24 - Everything happens from a corner, with obvious contact and holding in the box. Gabriel goes to ground after a borderline challenge, with Koke’s arm nearly around his neck, and appeals for a penalty, but the referee waves play on. Giampaolo Calverese, Prime Video’s refereeing analyst, “confirms” the referee’s decision.

❗ Julian Alvarez tests Raya’s gloves

MINUTE 14 - The first shot on target comes after almost a quarter of an hour. Ruggeri finds Alvarez on the edge of the box and the striker produces a brilliant piece of skill, skipping past Gabriel’s challenge and creating space for a shot from 20 metres. The effort is powerful and accurate, but Raya reacts sharply and tips it round the post.

🔥 CRAZY atmosphere: fans throw toilet paper

😲 Arsenal file UEFA complaint over grass length

Arsenal submitted a complaint to UEFA over the condition of the Metropolitano pitch, fearing that grass left too long could slow the pace of the game and that watering might make the surface more slippery. In the hours before kick-off, images also circulated of the Gunners staff speaking with the UEFA delegate to assess the situation.

After the checks requested by the English club, it was established that the grass measured 26 millimetres, therefore within the regulations, although at the maximum permitted limit.

✅ The OFFICIAL line-ups

ATLETICO MADRID (4-4-2): Oblak; Llorente, Pubill, Hancko, Ruggeri; G. Simeone, Cardoso, Koke, Lookman; Griezmann, Álvarez. Coach: D. Simeone.

ARSENAL (4-3-3): Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapié; Zubimendi, Rice, Odegaard; Madueke, Martinelli, Gyökeres. Coach: Arteta.

Atlético Madrid are without Gimenez, Barrios and Nico Gonzalez, while Arsenal have to do without Havertz, Timber and Merino.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.

📸 JAVIER SORIANO - AFP or licensors