Madrid mayor makes an astonishing claim after Arsenal beat Atletico

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·8 Mei 2026

Madrid mayor makes an astonishing claim after Arsenal beat Atletico

Arsenal secured victory over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League semi-final, but the mayor of Madrid has claimed the Gunners benefited from favourable treatment during the tie.

Atletico Madrid entered the contest with confidence after eliminating Barcelona in the quarter finals, and many observers believed Arsenal would face a difficult challenge against Diego Simeone’s side. The first leg in Spain ended in a 1-1 draw, leaving everything to play for heading into the decisive match at the Emirates.

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Arsenal felt frustrated during the opening encounter after having a penalty overturned, a moment that prevented them from taking control of the tie before the return leg. Despite that setback, Mikel Arteta’s side remained composed and ultimately managed to settle the contest in front of their own supporters.

Arsenal Reach the Final

The Gunners secured their place in the Champions League final thanks to a narrow victory at the Emirates after Bukayo Saka scored the only goal of the match. The game proved tense throughout, with Atletico pushing hard to find an equaliser as Arsenal defended their advantage.

The result sent Arsenal through to a final against PSG, while Atletico Madrid exited the competition as the final Spanish side remaining in the tournament. The defeat caused frustration among several figures connected to the Spanish club, including Madrid mayor Jose Luis Martinez Almeida.

Mayor Questions UEFA Decisions

Following the match, the mayor made a series of controversial comments regarding the officiating and UEFA’s role in the fixture. As reported by Football365, he said: “Well look, what I’m saying is that when I saw the draw I thought we’d get Arsenal and I was wrong.

“We got to play against UEFA. And UEFA has made it clear that they didn’t want Atletico Madrid in the Champions League final.

“It’s incomprehensible that they appointed a German referee when Spain and Germany are playing for the fifth Champions League spot.

“Who, other than UEFA, would think of appointing a German referee as both the main referee and the VAR referee?

“And yesterday there were plays that weren’t due to the referee being more or less bad, but in my opinion, due to a predetermined decision aimed at harming Atletico Madrid.”

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