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Saka strike secures Arsenal’s place in Champions League final


Arsenal will take their place in the final of the Champions League for a second time in their history after Bukayo Saka pushed the London club past Atletico Madrid 1-0 with a first-half strike in the second leg. 

On the stroke of half-time, Saka pounced on a rebound after Jan Oblak had saved Leandro Trossard’s shot to hand Arsenal a 2-1 lead in the semi-final tie. It would prove to be enough in a cagey affair to ensure Arsenal’s return to the final, 20 years after the club lost their only previous European Cup final 2-1 against FC Barcelona.

“It’s an incredible night,” said Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta. “We made history again together. I cannot be happier and prouder of everyone involved in this football club. The manner that we got to see outside the stadium was special and unique. The atmosphere that our supporters created, the energy, the way they lived every ball with us, it made it special and unique. I never felt that in the stadium.

“We knew how much it meant to everybody. We put everything in, the boys did an incredible job. After 20 years and for the second time in our history, we are back in the Champions League final.”

Arsenal restricted the Spanish who struggled to gain any momentum. In the second half Giuliano Simeone, the son of Atletico manager Diego Simeone, rounded goalkeeper David Raya following a backward header from William Saliba before defender Gabriel’s last-ditch intervention prevented an equaliser.

The visitors were then denied a penalty when defender Riccardo Calafiori stepped on Antoine Griezmann’s foot inside the box.

In the 66th minute, striker Viktor Gyökeres almost doubled Arsenal’s lead following a free-flowing counter, but his side-footed volley flew just over.

Arsenal held out and celebrations followed the final whistle in North London. It has been a good four days for the club who are also back on course to win the Premier League, leading Manchester City by five points with three matches remaining.

On May 30, Arsenal will play Paris Saint-Germain or Bayern Munich in the final of the Champions League in Budapest, Hungary.

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