Arsenal are into the Champions League semi-finals for the second straight season, a club first for the Gunners.
Mikel Arteta’s team takes on Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their semi-final tonight, aiming for a positive result to take back to North London. The tie is only Arsenal’s fourth semi-final in this competition, and we’ve looked back at each of their previous semi-final clashes.
Arsenal vs Villarreal – 2005/06
First leg: Arsenal 1-0 Villarreal
Second leg: Villarreal 0-0 Arsenal
Arsenal became the first London club to reach a UEFA Champions League final in 2005/06, after squeezing past Villarreal in the last four. Arsene Wenger’s side reached the final on the back of a remarkable defensive record, achieving 10 consecutive clean sheets between the group stage and a 2-1 final defeat to Barcelona in Paris.
After eliminating Juventus and Real Madrid to reach the last four, Arsenal faced underdogs Villarreal over two legs. Kolo Toure stabbed home the decisive goal from an Alexander Hleb cross as Arsenal edged a tight first leg.
Arsenal survived a scare in the return to sneak through at El Madrigal. Villarreal laid siege to the visitors’ goal and looked set to equalise late on when Gael Clichy fouled Jose Mari to concede a last-minute penalty. In a dramatic conclusion, Jens Lehmann guessed right, saving Juan Roman Riquelme’s spot-kick to send Arsenal into the Champions League final.
Arsenal vs Manchester United – 2008/09
First leg: Manchester United 1-0 Arsenal
Second leg: Arsenal 1-3 Manchester United
Arsenal met Manchester United in an epic all-English tie in 2008/09, but came out second-best to their Premier League rivals.
The tie was evenly poised after a tight first leg at Old Trafford, decided by John O’Shea’s strike after Arsenal failed to deal with a corner.
However, United produced a ruthless performance in the return to take the tie away from Arsenal. The Red Devils scored twice in the first 11 minutes at the Emirates, as Ji-Sung Park opened the scoring before Cristiano Ronaldo rocketed a free-kick from distance past Manuel Almunia. A clinical counter-attack saw Ronaldo score a second on 61 minutes, as holders Manchester United progressed to a second straight final.
Robin van Persie’s penalty was little consolation for Arsenal.
Arsenal vs Paris Saint-Germain – 2024/25
First leg: Arsenal 0-1 Paris Saint-Germain
Second leg: Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 Arsenal
Last season, Arsenal reached the Champions League semi-finals for the first time in 16 years. Mikel Arteta insisted Arsenal deserved more after defeats in both legs, expressing his belief that PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma was the difference between the sides.
“When you analyse both games, who has been the best player, the MVP has been the same player, the goalkeeper, and the Champions League is decided in the boxes, and he has won the game for them.”
Ousmane Dembele’s early goal punished Arsenal in the first leg, before Fabian Ruiz gave the Gunners a mountain to climb in the return. Vitinha missed from the spot to blow a chance to extend the lead, but Achraf Hakimi’s goal ended the tie as a contest.
Bukayo Saka replied for Arsenal at the Parc des Princes, but it was too little too late.
Read – The best Champions League semi-finals of all time
See more – Atletico Madrid vs Arsenal – Match preview and team news
