Real Madrid’s hopes of staging a dramatic comeback against Arsenal were dashed at the Santiago Bernabeu.
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Facing a 3-0 deficit from the first leg, the Spanish giants entered the second leg with high expectations—and belief among fans was strong. But Arsenal had other plans. ..Continue Reading
Goals from Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, either side of a strike by Vinicius Junior, secured a 2-1 win for the Gunners on the night and a dominant 5-1 aggregate victory.
With the win, Saka and his Arsenal teammates advanced to the Champions League semi-finals, while Vinicius and his Real Madrid colleagues saw their title defense come to an end.
Saka’s evening was a blend of highs and lows. The England star started brightly, causing problems for David Alaba, who was eventually booked for a foul on him. However, Saka’s attempt at a Panenka penalty was easily dealt with by Thibaut Courtois.
The Arsenal winger made amends in the second half, showing great composure to beat Courtois and open the scoring.
Vinicius responded with a goal for the hosts, but Martinelli’s late strike sealed both the victory and Arsenal’s progression.
After the final whistle, Saka showed his sportsmanship by approaching Vinicius for a handshake. As Saka began to walk away, the Brazilian forward requested a shirt swap.
Saka agreed, and the two exchanged jerseys before heading off the pitch separately.
There’s clear mutual admiration between the two young stars. Both Saka and Vinicius are among the top wingers in world football, having delivered crucial performances for club and country.
While Vinicius was signed and developed by Real Madrid at a young age, Arsenal had once tried to lure him to North London.
During Unai Emery’s tenure in the summer of 2019, the Gunners made a move for the Brazilian, as did PSG, according to UOL.
However, Real Madrid refused to entertain offers—a decision that has proven wise under the leadership of Florentino Perez and the club’s management.
