Madrid, Spain — Arsenal don defeat defending champion Real Madrid 2-1 on Wednesday, reach Champions League semifinal for di first time since 2009. Di match wey VAR play significant role, Arsenal advance with a 5-1 aggregate after dem win 3-0 for di first leg last week for London.
Dis victory keep Arsenal hopes alive to win di top European club competition for di first time. Dem go face Paris Saint-Germain in di semifinals, while Inter Milan also progress after dem beat Bayern Munich, and dem go clash with Barcelona.
No magic, no late goals, and no dramatic comeback for Real Madrid dis time. Di reigning champions and record 15-time winners no fit make di last four for di Champions League for di first time since 2020. Dem dey pursue third title in four seasons, but dem hopes perish when VAR cancel penalty for Kylian Mbappé in di first half.
Earlier, Arsenal get penalty after review, but Bukayo Saka miss di chance to score. Saka finally put Arsenal ahead in di 65th minute with a smart finish, but Vinícius Júnior equalize shortly after due to a defensive error from William Saliba.
Gabriel Martinelli snatch di win for Arsenal with a goal during stoppage time, sealing di game and sending dem into di semifinal.
“It’s a tough moment,” Lucas Vázquez from Madrid say. “We tried, but in di end, we no fit achieve di objective. We go come back stronger. Madrid always dey bounce back.”
From di start, e no easy for Madrid, who struggled against di solid Arsenal defense under Mikel Arteta. Di English side no lose by three-goal margin in almost three years, and UEFA stats show only four home teams don overturn a three-goal deficit in Champions League history.
Arsenal don defeat Madrid in all three previous encounters between di clubs, including di round of 16 for di 2005-06 Champions League, when dem reach di final but lose to Barcelona.
Di last time Arsenal reach semifinals be 2008-09 season, when dem fall to Manchester United. Di atmosphere for di Santiago Bernabéu was tense as di home fans expected victory. Dem thought di match don start strong when Mbappé scored two minutes in, but VAR cancel di goal for offsides.
Arsenal had a chance to extend their lead after receiving a penalty about ten minutes later. Saka try for di 13th minute, but Thibaut Courtois save di shot wit his left hand. Di penalty came after Raúl Asencio hold Mikel Merino during a corner, an action wey di referee François Letexier no see, but di VAR call am to review di play and point to di penalty spot.
In a twist, di VAR show up again in di 23rd minute when Declan Rice grab Mbappé for di area. Initially, Letexier award di penalty, but after another long review, he go back to di monitor and overturn di call.
In Milán, Benjamin Pavard score against his former club Bayern Munich to help Inter secure a 2-2 draw, sending dem through to di semifinals wit a 4-3 aggregate win. Dis goal be di first for Pavard since him join Inter.
Harry Kane equalize for Bayern at di start of di second half, but Inter quickly turn di tide with goals from Lautaro Martínez and Pavard. Eric Dier‘s header late in di match made it nerve-racking for Inter.
“E be great feeling to score against my old team,” Pavard talk after di match. “We just dey fight to repeat di success of di past.”
Inter now dey face Barcelona in di semifinal. Dey upset Bayern last week when dem win 2-1 and end Bayern home unbeaten streak for almost four years. Di wind and rain in San Siro made prediction tough as both teams pushed for glory.
All eyes now dey on di semifinals as Arsenal and Inter aim for di ultimate prize in football.
