Arsenal stand on the edge of a historic Champions League final appearance, with manager Mikel Arteta calling on his players to complete the job against Atletico Madrid in Tuesday’s second leg at the Emirates Stadium.
The significance of the occasion is underscored by how seldom Arsenal have reached this stage. In the club’s entire history, they have advanced to the Champions League semi-finals only four times, and converted just one of those appearances into a final — a run that ended in defeat against Barcelona in Paris in 2006. The last time Arsenal played a European match at this level was 20 years ago, when Arsène Wenger’s side eliminated Villarreal in the semi-final — a tie that also served as the final European fixture ever staged at Highbury.
Arsenal secured a 1-1 draw in the first leg in Madrid, a result that extended their unbeaten record in European competition this season to 13 matches — a feat no other remaining team in the tournament has matched.
When asked whether he had already imagined lifting the trophy, Arteta was measured but clear-eyed about the club’s trajectory. “I’ve done it many years ago, the thing that I had in mind for this club,” he said. “You can never promise to win major trophies. You can promise to work every single day with the vision and to be determined in the decisions you take to bring this club to be one of the best in Europe. Here we are, now we have to make the next step.”
StrikerViktor Gyokeres, who joined Arsenal ahead of this season, echoed his manager’s conviction and pointed to the consistency the squad has shown throughout the campaign. “I think we are in this position for a reason,” Gyokeres said. “It has been incredible so far, what we have done this season. But we know we have got to get over the line.”
Atletico Madrid arrive at the Emirates as experienced European campaigners. Diego Simeone‘s side have reached the Champions League final twice — in 2014 and 2016 — losing on both occasions to Real Madrid. Their defensive discipline and counter-attacking structure make them a formidable opponent in two-legged ties, and the 1-1 draw in the first leg leaves the tie evenly poised.
For Arsenal, a place in the final would represent the club’s most significant European milestone in two decades and the clearest validation yet of the project Arteta has built since taking charge in December 2019. The Gunners have finished second in the Premier League in back-to-back seasons and have steadily re-established themselves among Europe’s elite clubs. Reaching a Champions League final would mark the culmination of that rebuilding process.
The second leg takes place on 6 May 2026 at the Emirates Stadium. The winner will advance to the Champions League final.
