Real Madrid 1-2 Arsenal (1-5 agg): Match report & 3 talking points as Gunners knock holders out in style | OneFootball

Arsenal are Champions League semi-finalists for the first time since 2009, as they knocked holders Real Madrid out following a 2-1 victory in the Spanish capital on Wednesday.

The Gunners took a 3-0 lead into the second leg following last week's special night at the Emirates and rarely looked flustered as they sought to preserve their advantage. Madrid's first shot on target didn't arrive until the 56th minute, and although Vinicius Junior quickly cancelled out Bukayo Saka's delicate opener, Madrid struggled to build any momentum.

The post-mortem in Spain will doubtessly focus on Carlo Ancelotti's future and the inability of Madrid's stars to perform this time around when the lights shone the brightest. As for Arsenal, Mikel Arteta now has to prepare for a scintillating Paris Saint-Germain side in the last four.

How the game unfolded

There was an expectation in Madrid that the 'remontada' would be fulfilled on Wednesday night off the back of last Tuesday's thumping in north London. The club's superstars were throwing the buzzword around like it was going out of fashion, and even Carlo Ancelotti couldn't help but get involved with comeback discourse pre-match.

Arsenal, however, didn't look overawed by the occasion. Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe burst into space with the ball at their feet during a couple of bright early moments, one of which led to an offside Mbappe goal, but it was the visitors who had the biggest chance to open the scoring 13 minutes in.

VAR adjudged Raul Asencio's pull on Mikel Merino from an Arsenal corner to be worthy of a spot-kick, but Bukayo Saka's panenka attempt went all wrong, allowing Thibaut Courtois to save.

That may well have facilitated an overwhelming Madrid surge, but Ancelotti's men, after they had a penalty off their own rightfully ruled out after Francois Letexier consulted the monitor, merely huffed and puffed against a stout Arsenal defence. The Gunners endured a crossing barrage in the opening period but held firm, ensuring David Raya wasn't forced into a single save.

Arsenal's measured display continued into the second-half, with Madrid's frustration manifesting via Jude Bellingham's dispatching of Timber while the ball was out of play, and Federico Valverde thumping the turf after Rice had picked off a potentially dangerous pass in transition.

A triple-change from Ancelotti depicted Madrid's desperation, with the hosts struggling to get in behind and do anything but cross aimlessly into the Gunners' box.

Saka's redemption arrived after the hour mark, with a delicate chip thrusting Arsenal into a surely unassailable 4-0 lead, but William Saliba then opted to keep the door ajar for Madrid by inexplicably turning into Vinicius Junior, who tapped into an empty net to level the second leg.

That could've sparked the spirit of Juanito within Los Blancos, but Arsenal kept their cool in the aftermath. One error wasn't going to spoil Arteta's masterpiece, and the response to the equaliser ensured the hosts weren't able to build any momentum as the tie headed towards its final act.

There was no second goal for Madrid, but instead for the brilliant visitors, who capped off another memorable occasion in style. Gabriel Martinelli finished a slick counter-attack in stoppage-time to seal victory on the night for Arteta's men.

Check out the player ratings from Real Madrid 1-2 Arsenal here.

Penalty chaos highlights stop-start first half

Bukayo Saka's panenka was saved by Thibaut Courtois / Angel Martinez/GettyImages

The avoidance of an early concession was key for Arsenal in the Spanish capital, with Arteta, despite laying out his intention to win the game beforehand, surely regarding an early lead of their own as a mere bonus.

However, his team were handed a golden opportunity to dampen Madrid's spirit early when Asencio's tug on Merino's shirt - one that barely drew a complaint from the Arsenal man - was deemed worthy of a penalty. It would've been the perfect crowd-silencer, but Saka's execution of a spot-kick rarely saved for such seismic occasions was poor. Instead of chipping his effort down the middle, Saka's penalty veered towards the left, allowing Courtois to keep it out.

The Belgian was euphoric, and it seemed as the start of what Madristas projected pre-match would begin when the French referee inexplicably pointed to the spot for Rice's supposed foul on Mbappe. It took five long minutes, but VAR's intervention was wise and the on-field decision was overruled.

The sequences depicted the stop-start nature of a first-half bereft of flow, which suited Arsenal down to the ground.

Arsenal's stellar defensive effort

Arsenal were superb defensively at the Bernabeu / David Ramos/GettyImages

Some predicted the meanest and deepest of Arsenal defensive blocks to arrive at the Bernabeu on Wednesday, but Arteta suggested ahead of kick-off that his side had no intention of shutting up shop from minute one.

And that proved to be the case. The Gunners, of course, were forced into their stringent 4-4-2 mid-block for periods, but they were intent on winning the ball back high up the pitch for much of the contest. They mixed their work without ball up superbly, often rendering Madrid's possession play futile.

Their sole blemish was Saliba's mistake, with Arsenal otherwise close to perfect defensively. Their compact block forced Madrid into crosses and only crosses. Jurrien Timber defended superbly one-on-one, Saliba produced a couple of standout sequences, while the efforts from those upfield were unrelentling. Rice was nothing short of a colossus in the middle of the park, with he and Thomas Partey ensuring there was never a central route for Madrid to attack.

Oh, and how about Jakub Kiwior?! What were you all worried about. He's struggled to put a foot wrong since coming into the team.

Perhaps the most impressive aspect of Arsenal's performance was their reaction after Saliba's mistake. They didn't allow Madrid to work any sort of voodoo magic which so many teams have succumbed to in the past. This was the maturest of displays from a team that are continuing to cross frontiers.

Carlo Ancelotti's reign drawing to a close

Carlo Ancelotti is heading towards the exit door / Eurasia Sport Images/GettyImages

Madrid will surely look back upon their pre-match PR with hints of embarassment. So much was made over a potential comeback on Wednesday. Too much, in fact.

We know this is a flawed Madrid team, and Ancelotti hasn't been able to maximise the potential of the group, despite the arrival of a bonafide superstar in attack. Mbappe was bright early, but his influence was minimal before he picked up a knock which forced him off.

The hosts struggled to penetrate in behind and open up gaps in front of Arsenal's defence, and the visitors' stern block forced this superstar-laden team into one without ideas. Crossing was the way to go, but their box presence lacked and deliveries into the box were often aimless. There was a predictability about their play, even when Vini Jr. got on the ball.

Ancelotti has often facilitated majestic sequences between Madrid's four horsemen in attack this term via relationist principles which offers the quartet plenty of freedom to roam and rotate, but a more positional approach taken in this tie seemed to inhibit the stars against an immovable force.

This is an chastening Champions League exit for Los Blancos, one reminiscent of their semi-final defeat to Manchester City two seasons ago, and a Copa del Rey triumph will not save Ancelotti on this occasion. An alternate voice is required, but the new manager has his work cut out if he's to get Madrid functioning without possession.