Arsenal returned t the UEFA Champions League final with a 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid that secured a 2-1 aggregate semi-final victory.
The Gunners secured the win with a first half strike from Bukayo Saka to end a 20-year wait for another shot at their first UCL crown in the club’s history.
Saka captained the side and coach Mikel Arteta handed a surprise start to Myles Lewis-Skelly, with Leandro Trossard alongside Vikto Gyokores in attack.
The hosts were the more adventurous in the first half and had a penalty shout ignored by the referee before Saka scored the all-important goal on the 41st minute of the game.
The England winger reacted fastest to the rebound from Trossard’s shot to give Arsenal the lead with his 11th UCL goal for the club.
Atletico came close to an equalizer early in the second half but Giuliano Simeone could not convert under pressure from Gabriel after going past the goalkeeper.
The Gunners eventually slowed down the pace of the game to grind out the all-important win to continue their record of not losing to Spanish opposition in their last eight meetings.
The North London club’s success also sees an English club return to the UCL final for the first time in three years.
Arsenal will face either reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain or Bayern Munich in the final a the Puskas Arena on May 30