Arsenal reached their first Champions League final for 20 years as Bukayo Saka’s goal was enough to help the Gunners overcome Atletico Madrid 2-1 on aggregate.
Mikel Arteta’s side went out in the semi-finals to eventual winners Paris-St Germain last season, but Saka’s goal ensured there was no repeat of that exit at the same stage – and a Champions League and Premier League double remains a possibility.
With the scores level on aggregate at 1-1 after the first leg there was a tense start to Tuesday’s return leg at Emirates Stadium, with few clear-cut chances early on.
But Saka poked home the 44th-minute winner after Jan Oblak had parried Leandro Trossard’s shot, following good work in the build-up by Viktor Gyokeres.
Atletico did have some opportunities, with Declan Rice needing to make a last-ditch tackle to deny Giuliano Simeone in the first half, before Gabriel was on hand to prevent Simeone equalising after he had rounded David Raya after the break.
Gyokeres had a glorious chance to double Arsenal’s aggregate lead and ease any nerves, but the striker fired over from inside the box after getting on the end of substitute Piero Hincapie’s cross.
But that missed chance did not matter and the Gunners kept Atletico at bay to ensure they will play either Bayern Munich or PSG in the final on 30 May in Budapest for the chance to win their first Champions League title.
Arteta and Arsenal are on the brink of a historic campaign after yet another impressive win in this competition.
So much of the focus this season has been on their attempt to end a 22-year wait for a league title that their superb unbeaten run in Europe feels like it has gone under the radar.
The Gunners, who finished top of the Champions League league phase, have beaten Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, Sporting and Atletico (twice) on their route to the final.
Arsenal produced one of their best performances of the season in Saturday’s 3-0 victory over Fulham and Arteta kept that in mind with an unchanged team for this match.
The Gunners boss made the bold call to continue with 19-year-old Myles Lewis-Skelly in midfield in what was just his second start in the position for the senior team.
Lewis-Skelly took the ball in tight areas and kept the ball ticking over in Arsenal’s midfield, partnered by the excellent Rice.
It was a night of superb performances from Arsenal’s players with Ben White, who has had some difficult moments in recent weeks as he regains full fitness, back to his dominant best.
The same can be said of Gyokeres who played a massive part in Saka’s goal – and the forward occupied the Atletico centre-backs and ran the channels while providing a huge threat all evening.
The win leaves Arsenal just four matches away from an unprecedented league and European double.
