Arsenal smash Real Madrid to reach Champions League semifinals

Arsenal defeated defending champion Real Madrid 2-1 on Wednesday to reach the Champions League semifinals for the first time since 2009 in a match where VAR played a key role in two penalty decisions.

Arsenal advanced 5-1 on aggregate after a 3-0 first-leg win at home in London last week, keeping alive its chances of winning Europe’s top club competition for the first time. It will face Paris Saint-Germain in the semifinals.

Inter Milan advanced past Bayern Munich in the other quarterfinal on Wednesday. It will meet Barcelona in the other semifinal.

There was no historic comeback for Madrid this time. No late goals, no high drama, no magic at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium.

The defending champion and record 15-time European winner fell short of the last four for the first time since 2020. It was seeking its third Champions League title in four seasons.

“There was a lot of talk coming here about (Real Madrid) coming back, because they’ve done it so many times before, but we had so much belief and confidence from that first game to come here and win the game,” said Arsenal’s Declan Rice, who scored twice in the first leg through free kicks. “We knew we were going to suffer, but we knew we were going to win. We had it in our minds and now we’ve done it in real life.”

Madrid’s hopes of staging another comeback on Wednesday — like so many times before in recent years in the Champions League — took a big hit when a five-minute VAR check overturned a penalty for a hold on Kylian Mbappé in the first half with the game tied 0-0.

Arsenal earlier had been awarded a penalty after a video review, but Bukayo Saka missed his spot kick.

Saka was able to put Arsenal ahead from inside the area after a nice pass by Mikel Merino in the 65th minute, and Madrid couldn’t manage more than an equalizer by Vinícius Júnior a couple of minutes later after a defensive blunder by William Saliba.

Gabriel Martinelli gave Arsenal the victory by scoring on a breakaway three minutes into stoppage time, also after another assist by Merino.

“This is one of the best nights in my football career, for sure,” Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta said. “It’s a really special one against a team that has been an inspiration for a lot of us in this competition. To win this tie in the manner that we have, we can be very proud.”

Mbappé was replaced by Brahim Díaz in the 75th with an apparent injury and part of the crowd at the Bernabeu jeered the France star when his substitution was announced. It was another lackluster performance for Mbappé, who yet again won’t be able to win a Champions League title.

“It’s a tough moment,” Madrid’s Lucas Vazquez said. “We tried but in the end we couldn’t achieve our goal. We’ll come back stronger. Madrid always does.”

It was a tough task for Madrid from the start, and it never could do much against the stout defense of Arsenal under Arteta. The English side haven’t lost by a three-goal margin in nearly three years, and only four times has a home team erased a first-leg deficit of three goals or more in the Champions League era, according to UEFA.

Arsenal hadn’t lost to Madrid in the teams’ three previous meetings. It also overcame Madrid in the Champions League knockout stage in 2005-06, when it reached the final and eventually lost the title to Barcelona.

Arsenal was eliminated by Manchester United the last time it made the last four in 2008-09.

Backed by a raucous crowd at the Bernabeu, Madrid tried to get off to a strong start. It scored two minutes into the match but the goal by Mbappé was disallowed for a clear offside.

Arsenal had a chance to increase its advantage after being awarded a penalty about 10 minutes later, but Saka’s 13th-minute attempt from the spot was saved by Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who used his left hand to swat away the forward’s chip.

The penalty was awarded after Raúl Asencio held Mikel Merino inside the area during a corner kick in an action that was missed by French referee François Letexier. But he was called over to the pitchside monitor by the VAR to review the incident and then pointed to the spot.

Video review played a role again in the 23rd, after Mbappé was held inside the area by Rice. Letexier pointed to the spot that time but after a lengthy VAR check he was called over to the monitor again and then reversed his decision.