Arsenal face Atletico Madrid in Champions League semi-final second leg with destiny in their own hands

Key facts

• Arsenal and Atletico Madrid drew 1-1 in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final.
• The second leg takes place at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday with kick-off at 8pm.
• Arsenal last reached a Champions League final in 2006, their final season at Highbury.
• Arsenal beat Atletico Madrid 4-0 at the Emirates in October in the group stage.
• Arsenal defeated Fulham 3-0 on Saturday to build momentum.
• Manchester City drew 3-3 with Everton, giving Arsenal control of the Premier League title race.
• Arsenal need to beat West Ham, Burnley and Crystal Palace to win the Premier League.
• Arteta expressed 'huge excitement' and said the team is 'so hungry' to reach the final.

A night of destiny at the Emirates

Arsenal stand one game away from their first Champions League final in 19 years as they host Atletico Madrid in the second leg of their semi-final on Tuesday. The tie is finely poised at 1-1 after a tense draw in the Spanish capital last week, meaning the winner at the Emirates will book a place in the showpiece match. Mikel Arteta, the Arsenal manager, described the occasion as one of the biggest in the history of the club's new stadium, saying he 'can't wait' to feel the energy of the supporters.

Arteta's hunger and belief

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Arteta emphasised the hunger and desire within his squad. 'I feel the energy in and amongst the team, our supporters, so these are the moments that we want to live together,' he said. 'We had a lot of work as a club, as a team, after 20 years to be in this position again, and we are so hungry to get a game that we want tomorrow and go through to the final.' He added that the team is ready to deliver and will go from the first minute to get the victory.

Momentum from the Premier League title race

Arsenal's preparations received a significant boost over the weekend. On Saturday, they beat Fulham 3-0 in the Premier League, a performance Arteta described as 'great preparation' that left 'a really good taste for everybody.' Then on Sunday, Manchester City could only draw 3-3 at Everton, with Jeremy Doku scoring a last-gasp equaliser. That result handed Arsenal control of the Premier League title race: if they beat West Ham, Burnley and Crystal Palace, they will end a 22-year wait to be domestic champions. Arteta admitted he watched the match, saying 'I love football. And there's so much at stake.'

Confidence from past encounters and recent form

Arsenal have reason to believe they can finish the job. They produced a mature, controlled performance in Madrid to secure the draw, and had certain VAR decisions gone their way, they might have returned with an aggregate lead. Moreover, they thrashed Atletico 4-0 at the Emirates in the group stage in October. Arteta expressed confidence in his players, saying 'What I see every single day. They are giving me the reason to believe, to trust these players and to be convinced that we can do it in any context against any opponent.'

The stakes: a first final in 19 years

Arsenal's last Champions League final appearance came in 2006, when they lost to Barcelona at the Stade de France. Since then, the club has endured a series of near misses: they were knocked out in the quarter-finals by Bayern Munich in the 2023/24 season and fell at the semi-finals to Paris Saint-Germain last year. Now, they are one step away from reaching this year's showpiece. Arteta is convinced his team can make that next step, and the atmosphere at the Emirates is expected to be 'white-hot' as supporters sense a historic opportunity.

What comes next

The winner of Tuesday's semi-final will advance to the Champions League final, where they will face either Liverpool or Barcelona. For Arsenal, the match also carries implications for the Premier League title race, as they must balance their European ambitions with domestic duties. Arteta and his players are focused solely on the task at hand, with the manager urging the fans to 'push hard tomorrow, because it's something amazing that’s going to happen.' The equation is simple: win and they are in the final; lose and the dream ends.

The bottom line

• Arsenal and Atletico Madrid are level at 1-1 after the first leg of their Champions League semi-final.
• The second leg at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday will decide who reaches the final.
• Arsenal last reached a Champions League final in 2006 and have not won the competition.
• Arsenal's 3-0 win over Fulham and Manchester City's draw with Everton have boosted momentum.
• Arteta expressed confidence in his team's hunger and desire to seize the opportunity.
• Arsenal beat Atletico 4-0 at home in the group stage earlier this season.