Bukayo Saka’s return from injury gives Arsenal a much-needed boost heading into the Champions League semifinal second leg. | Photo Credit: AP

A few seasons ago, if someone told an Arsenal fan that their club would be one game away from a UEFA Champions League final and six points clear in the Premier League, they might have seen it as the ultimate dream come true.

But despite being in that position in the ongoing campaign, a certain familiar vulnerability seems to be creeping in.

The Gunners were competing for four titles at the start of the year. In a matter of weeks, that number has halved, and the unwanted ‘bottler’ tag is hanging over the club as it eyes a first Champions League final appearance in 20 years.

And no easy task awaits in the opposition dugout, which features an unyielding Atletico Madrid side led by Diego Simeone, who maintained his unbeaten home record in knockout games against English teams during the 1-1 draw in the first leg last week.

While the game in Madrid lacked the theatrics of the nine-goal blockbuster in the other semifinal between Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich, entertainment was aplenty. The referee pointed to the spot thrice, with both Arsenal and Atletico Madrid converting from the spot once each, while a third penalty was awarded to the former before being controversially ruled out after a VAR intervention.

“What I’m incredibly fuming about is how the hell the penalty on Ebz (Eberechi Eze) gets ‌overturned. If you have to ​watch it 13 times...That’s a goal that can change the course of ⁠the season. This cannot happen,” Arteta said after the match.

On the attacking front, perhaps surprisingly, it was Atletico that dominated, but Arsenal’s prized defence, which has conceded just six goals this campaign, stood firm in the face of danger.

Team news

With the league title also to fight for, Arteta was cautious not to mix things up too much against Fulham over the weekend. He made just four changes to the side, with linchpin Declan Rice featuring in the playing XI, while Bukayo Saka also earned a start.

Saka proved his fitness with a goal and an assist while Viktor Gyokeres grabbed a brace as Arsenal won 3-0 to liven up the spirits heading into the midweek.

The club, however, will be fretting over the availability of club captain and midfielder Martin Odegaard, who was left out of the squad against Fulham after playing just under an hour in the first leg. Eze seems the prime candidate to take his place if the worst comes to worst for Arteta.

Atletico, on the other hand, has placed all its chips on the continental competition. With next year’s participation in the Champions League all but confirmed and the league title out of reach, Simeone completely overhauled his side as it went on to beat Valencia 2-0, while all starters against Arsenal rested on the bench.

Surprisingly, neither side will have any player missing the second leg due to suspension, with Atletico’s David Hancko the only recipient of a yellow card in the first leg.

Simeone comes into the tie with a wealth of experience in the competition, being in charge of a fourth semifinal tie with Atletico, while Arteta himself boasts of being the first Arsenal manager to reach the stage in back-to-back seasons.

The recent history, however, favours Arsenal.

The two sides had met in London during the league phase, with the Gunners thrashing their opponent 4-0 as Gyokeres netted twice, while ‘the Gabriel’ duo - Magalhaes and Martinelli - also got on the scoresheet.

But the season has twisted and turned plenty since then. And while football fanatics dub the clash lacklustre, compared to the other side of the draw, such claims will not bother either team, as a win on Wednesday leaves them just 90 minutes away from etching their name into European history.

Predicted XIs

Arsenal: David Raya (gk), Ben White, William Saliba, Gabriel Maghalaes, Piero Hincapie, Declan Rice, Martin Zubimendi, Eberechi Eze, Bukay Saka, Leandro Trossard, Viktor Gyokeres

Atletico Madrid: Jan Oblak (gk), Marcos Llorente, Robin Le Normand, David Hancko, Matteo Ruggeri, Giuliano Simeone, Koke, Johnny Cardoso, Ademola Lookman, Antoinne Griezmann, Julian Alvarez

Where to watch Arsenal vs Atletico in the Champions League?

The match will be telecast on the Sony Sports Network in India. It will also be livestreamed on the SonyLiv app and website.

Published on May 04, 2026