Arsenal vs Real Madrid highlights: Gunners storm into Champions League SF

Arsenal made history at the Santiago Bernabeu on Thursday night (India time), defeating Real Madrid once again to secure a place in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals, where they will face Paris Saint-Germain. The 2-1 victory on the night sealed a 5-1 aggregate win, marking Arsenal’s second triumph at the iconic venue and extending their unbeaten European run to eight matches — their longest since reaching the final in 2006.

 

Despite holding a commanding 3-0 lead from the first leg, Arsenal did not sit back. Mikel Arteta’s side were aggressive from the start and nearly put the tie beyond doubt within the opening ten minutes. Bukayo Saka saw an early effort saved by Thibaut Courtois before being awarded a penalty after a VAR review found Raul Asensio guilty of pulling back Mikel Merino. However, Saka’s attempted panenka was easily saved by Courtois, momentarily lifting the home crowd. 

 

 

Real Madrid were then handed a lifeline in the 23rd minute when referee Francois Letexier pointed to the spot after Kylian Mbappe went down near Declan Rice. The decision sparked disbelief from the Arsenal players, but after a five-minute VAR review, it was overturned and Rice’s yellow card rescinded — a moment that preserved Arsenal’s momentum.

 

The Gunners' defence, led by William Saliba and Jakob Kiwior, held strong through a tense first half, restricting Madrid to no shots on target. Gabriel Martinelli came closest to scoring in stoppage time with a tight-angle effort that forced another save from Courtois. 

"I sensed it when I signed that we were on an upwards trajectory."   Declan Rice has always believed in Mikel Arteta's project at Arsenal   @Becky_Ives_ | @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/abNeUTQ0px

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 16, 2025

 

The breakthrough finally came in the 65th minute. A slick passing move involving Saka, Martin Odegaard and Rice saw Odegaard slip a perfect ball into Saka, who coolly lifted it over Courtois to notch his fifth goal in seven Champions League matches this season and make it 4-0 on aggregate. 

 

The joy was short-lived, as Real Madrid struck back just two minutes later. Saliba, outstanding until then, was dispossessed inside his own box by Vinícius Jr, who calmly finished past David Raya to bring the score to 1-1 on the night.

 

Real pushed forward in search of a miracle, but Arsenal stayed composed. Mbappe was kept quiet throughout, and late chances for Brahim Diaz and Endrick went begging. Odegaard also came close to sealing it with a curling effort that drifted wide.

 

The decisive moment came in second-half stoppage time. A quick counter-attack saw Merino release Martinelli from the halfway line, and the Brazilian kept his composure to slot past Courtois and restore Arsenal’s lead on the night, confirming their dominance over the two legs.

 

The victory not only underlined Arsenal’s growing European stature but also secured their third-ever Champions League semi-final appearance. With Paris Saint-Germain up next, the Gunners are just one step away from returning to the final for the first time since 2006. 

Arsenal vs Real Madrid first-leg video highlights - Champions League 2025 quartefinals