Playing for the result: Arsenal and Atletico to determine first Champions League finalist
London's Arsenal and Madrid's Atletico will compete in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final for the first ticket to the decisive match for the trophy.
The starting whistle for the match will sound at 23:00 Baku time.
The first game in Madrid ended in a 1:1 draw. The encounter didn't particularly thrill the spectators; both teams played defensively in the first half, and only in the second half did Atletico become more active in pressing, which created some chances. Both goals were scored from penalties, with the teams' top scorers, Julian Alvarez (Atletico) and Viktor Gyökeres (Arsenal), finding the net. The Argentine set a record in that match—he became the fastest South American to score 50 goals in the Champions League, surpassing Lionel Messi. However, his participation in the return leg is in doubt; the forward was substituted due to an ankle injury. He missed the league match against Valencia (2:0).
The trophy remains crucial for both teams. Arsenal has gained some strength after setbacks in the English championship, securing two consecutive victories. The team has regained confidence in its abilities. Gyökeres scored twice in the last game against Fulham. On the road, Atletico prefers to play defensively. Nevertheless, the Madrid side has already shown this season that they can perform well away against big teams—in the quarter-finals, it was the away game against Barcelona (2:0) that decided the outcome. Alvarez also scored in that match.
Arsenal and Atletico have already faced each other this Champions League season during the group stage, with the English team securing a 4:0 victory at home. The Gunners only started to falter in the spring, but this does not apply to the premier European club tournament. Arsenal finished the group stage with 8 wins in 8 matches, and in the playoffs, they defeated German side Bayer (1:1, 2:0) and Portuguese club Sporting (1:0, 0:0). Mikel Arteta's team plays with maximum pragmatism in the Champions League, so Atletico's chances are limited. The Madrid team finished 14th in the group stage table, losing not only to Arsenal but also to Norwegian side Bodø/Glimt (1:2) and English club Liverpool (2:3). In the knockout round play-offs, Atletico defeated Belgian club Brugge (3:3, 4:1), and in the playoffs, they overcame English side Tottenham (5:2, 2:3) and Barcelona (2:0, 1:2).
In the final match, which will take place on May 30 in Budapest, the winner of this pairing will face the strongest team from the clash between Bayern and PSG (the first match ended with a 5:4 victory for the Parisians). The teams will play in Munich on May 6.
