Arsenal on Wednesday staved off UEFA Champions League holders Real Madrid’s superstars and rich history of unlikely comebacks to snatch a 2-1 victory and reach the semi-finals with a superb 5-1 aggregate triumph.
The Gunners’ 3-0 quarter-final first-leg triumph last week gave them a vital cushion in the Spanish capital, as they made the final four for the first time since 2009, where they are to face Paris Saint-Germain.
Bukayo Saka, who missed a first-half penalty, sent Arsenal ahead, and although Vinicius Junior leveled, the 15-time winners were never close to making up the deficit.
Photo: AF
Gabriel Martinelli rubbed salt in their wounds with a stoppage-time winner for Arsenal, who are yet to lift the Champions League trophy.
“We knew we were going to suffer, but we knew we were going to win,” Declan Rice, who netted two stunning free-kicks in the first leg, told TNT Sports. “It’s such a special night for this club, it’s a historic night for this club... We want to win this competition.”
In Italy, Inter’s treble dream is alive and kicking after reaching the semi-finals thanks to 2-2 draw with Bayern Munich, as the Serie A giants won a pulsating last-eight tie 4-3 on aggregate.
The Italian champions are to face Barcelona in the semis after goals in the space of three minutes from captain Lautaro Martinez and Benjamin Pavard canceled out a Harry Kane strike for Bayern, who leveled the tie in the 52nd minute.
“We don’t give up, we have personality and heart and intelligence. We were definitely on the back foot at times today, but we showed again today that we can do great things,” Martinez told Amazon Prime.
Inter are still on for a repeat of the Serie A, Champions League and Coppa Italia treble won under Jose Mourinho in 2010, as they are also three points ahead of SSC Napoli in Italy’s top flight and face AC Milan in the semi-finals of the domestic cup
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