Arsenal Beats Atletico Madrid to Reach Champions League Final

Arsenal advanced to the Champions League final with a 1-0 second-leg win over Atletico Madrid on Tuesday, clinching a 2-1 aggregate victory thanks to Bukayo Saka's first-half tap-in. The Gunners' unbeaten run to the Budapest showpiece has drawn less attention amid pressure to end their 22-year Premier League title drought.

Arsenal's display at Emirates Stadium lacked flair, but the team has delivered some of its strongest performances in Europe this season. They remain the competition's only unbeaten side, with victories over Bayern Munich, Inter Milan and Sporting along the way.

Desperation to win the league has dominated talk, especially after Manchester City's draw at Everton a day before the semi-final. Arsenal showed quiet ruthlessness in Europe, rarely troubled and seldom at risk of elimination.

"I don't think you can underestimate what we have done in this competition up to this point," midfielder Declan Rice told Amazon Prime. "We have every right to celebrate that moment. The most prestigious competition in club football. We are just trying to soak it all in."

"We knew coming into the game what was at stake. If you can't get up for that, then you can't get up for any game of football," Rice added. "When we went 1-0 up, I knew we were going to win. I could feel something special building."

Fans greeted the team bus with flares and chants, a first at the stadium, creating what Arteta called "an incredible night." "We made history again together," Arteta said. "I cannot be happier, prouder for everybody that's involved in this football club. The manner that we were received outside the stadium was special and unique."

"The atmosphere, our support has created the energy, the way they managed every ball with us... I never felt that in the stadium before," he said. "We knew how much it meant to everybody... the boys did an incredible job and after 20 years and a second time in our history, we are back in the Champions League final."

Arsenal have won despite mounting pressure in recent weeks. A 3-0 victory over Fulham at the weekend left the squad refreshed heading into the semi-final. They conceded just six goals during their undefeated path to the final.

Arteta praised the defensive record when asked about it. "Yes, because we know how difficult and challenging every opponent is at this level," he said. "Atletico are an incredible team, the way they compete, the solution they have, the answer they have to everything that you try to do to them immediately, it's incredible."

Arsenal went unbeaten in 14 Champions League games, their longest such streak and topping a 13-game run from March 2005 to April 2006. They reached the final for the first time since 2006, the longest gap for an English club since Liverpool's 20 years ending in 2005.

The Gunners kept clean sheets in nine of 14 matches, more than any other team. City's dropped points put the Premier League title in Arsenal's hands with a five-point lead.

Two weeks ago, Arsenal lost back-to-back league games. Now, after beating Atletico, momentum swings their way. "Where this club has come from over the last few years - things that hurt you as a player," Rice said, referring to three straight second-place finishes.

"The manager has taken full control. We have kept building - we have kept pushing each other," he added. "This competition and the Premier League. We have gone full throttle. We have found ourselves in a good position with less than a month to go. Sunday now is a massive one."

Arteta started 19-year-old Myles Lewis-Skelly in midfield for his second time there. Sporting's Viktor Gyokeres, who scored twice at the weekend, set up Saka's goal and impressed.

Rice, player of the match and a standout this season, said Arsenal had "turned a corner." "We went through a stage where we weren't performing at our best. We were a bit sloppy in our play, but we have found a new way to play again," he said. "When you have got confidence in football it is everything. I know everyone is focused."

Arteta aims to turn Emirates into a hostile venue for every edge in pursuit of trophies. Fans called Tuesday's atmosphere the best ever inside the ground. "That box is ticked, but now we're going to the level that I think a top club that wants to be fighting consistently for the highest trophies needs... and we have to maintain it," Arteta said.