Atlético Madrid – Arsenal: A Tale of Three Penalties (1-1)

The meeting at the Metropolitano would always underwhelm against the explosive standard of scoring from the first Champions League semi-final, but the tie remains on tenterhooks in its own way. A trio of penalties produced the most dramatic moments on the evening, exhibiting the flow of a fixture where defensive solidity and minimizing mistakes made all the difference.

Tactical analysis and match report by Emmanuel Adeyemi-Abere.

The last time these two teams met each other in the league phase of the Champions League, Arsenal emphatically emerged 4-0 victors on their home patch. Now, both predictably are in different places.

Atlético Madrid are five points behind third placed Villarreal, having lost pace at the top of La Liga a long time ago. However, they have rekindled the thrill of cup competition in the club to hit heights not seen this decade. Though their Copa del Rey journey ended in tears against Real Sociedad, the side advanced to the final of the competition for the first time since 2013. They also dumped Blaugrana out of the Champions League, getting to the final four of the tournament for the first time since 2017.

Meanwhile, Arsenal . . .