Arsenal vs Atletico: London battle for a place in the Champions League final

On Tuesday, May 5, Arsenal’s stadium in London will host the second leg of the Champions League semi-final between Arsenal and Atletico. The match is scheduled to kick off at 21:00 Central European Time. After a 1-1 draw in Madrid, the tie remains completely open.

In the first match, the teams exchanged goals from the penalty spot. Viktor Gyokeres put Arsenal ahead in the first half, but after the break Julian Alvarez restored parity. As the Madrid match progressed, Atletico gradually improved in attack and created the impression that Diego Simeone’s side are ready to fight for a place in the final not only through their defending, but also thanks to serious attacking potential.

For Arsenal, the current Champions League season has been almost ideal. The London side remain the only unbeaten team in the tournament, with 10 wins and 3 draws. In addition, Mikel Arteta’s team have the best defence in the competition: only 6 goals conceded and 8 clean sheets. However, Atletico also come into the match with a strong argument of their own: the Madrid club have scored in 37 consecutive UEFA matches.

The history of head-to-head meetings adds extra intrigue. This season, Arsenal have already thrashed Atletico 4-0 at home, with Gyokeres scoring twice on that occasion. But the Madrid side have a pleasant memory of two-legged ties against the Londoners: in the 2017/18 Europa League semi-final, Atletico advanced with a 2-1 aggregate victory.

Both teams continue their pursuit of a first triumph in Europe’s premier club competition. Arsenal are aiming to reach the Champions League final for the first time since the 2005/06 season. Atletico, meanwhile, dream of earning another chance after painful defeats in the 2014 and 2016 finals.

Possible line-ups

Arsenal: Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie; Zubimendi, Rice, Eze; Saka, Gyokeres, Martinelli.

Atletico: Oblak; Llorente, Pubill, Le Normand, Ruggeri; Simeone, Koke, Cardoso, Lookman; Alvarez, Griezmann.

What they are saying before the match

Mikel Arteta noted that the team feels a special energy ahead of the decisive match. According to the coach, Arsenal have worked for a long time to get the chance to be this close to the final again, and now the club intend to make the most of that opportunity.

Viktor Gyokeres also stressed that the Londoners did not reach this stage by chance. The striker admitted that the whole season has been successful, but it is precisely matches like this that determine whether a team can take the final step.

Diego Simeone, by contrast, is focusing on intensity and character. The Atletico coach wants his players to reproduce the level they showed in the second half of the first leg and to play exactly the kind of match a semi-final demands.

Antoine Griezmann believes the pressure will be enormous, but the Madrid side have enough confidence. The French forward said Atletico must be tactically disciplined and reliable in defence while maintaining the quality of play they showed after the break in Madrid.

Team form

Both teams approach the second leg after successful matches in their domestic leagues. Arsenal beat Fulham 3-0 and strengthened their position in the Premier League title race. It is especially important for the London side that, for the first time since mid-March, they scored more than one goal in a match.

Atletico also earned a confident victory, beating Valencia 2-0. At the same time, Simeone was able to rest several key players. In La Liga, the Madrid side are no longer fighting for the main trophy, so they can fully focus on the Champions League.

The main question of the evening is simple: will Arsenal be able to use home advantage and the best defence in the tournament, or will Atletico once again switch into their familiar semi-final mode and move closer to another attempt at winning the long-awaited trophy?