MADRID, Spain — Arsenal don achieve historic victory for UEFA Champions League semi-finals as dem beat defending champions Real Madrid 2-1 for 5-1 aggregate on April 17, 2025. Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli shine for the Gunners, ensuring dem progress to face Paris Saint-Germain in di semi-finals.
Head coach Mikel Arteta, wey sabi dey rise from his time as Pep Guardiola assistant at Manchester City, no hide his happiness after di match. He describe di victory as one of di ‘best nights’ for im career and reveal say him call Pep early that morning. “I called him this morning, because if I am here, it is thanks to him to a great extent. He has been a big inspiration to me,” Arteta talk after di match.
Di ‘remontada’ (comeback) wey Real Madrid dey discuss before di match no happen, as Arsenal open di scoring first with Saka’s goal. Martinelli later seal di win in stoppage time. Real Madrid try to unsettle Saka, but dem fail as he maintain focus and led di team with confidence throughout di game.
Arteta don appreciate di strength of his players, especially considering di injury concerns for di Gunners. “Not only because we’re in di semi-final for di third time in our history, but also for di manner wey we do am, with di circumstances and di injuries wey we get. Dis show di character of di team and dis club,” he explain.
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti dey face serious questions about im future after di defeat, admitting say e go fit leave after di Copa del Rey final on April 26. Describing di situation, he say, “Maybe di club decides to replace me, and maybe it could be dis year, or next year when my contract runs out. But I will be grateful to dis club
