Arsenal have reached the UEFA Champions League semifinals for the second consecutive season, advancing on a 1-0 aggregate score after a goalless home draw against Sporting CP of Lisbon on Wednesday. The London club, who play in the Premier League, will now face Atlético Madrid in the last four, with the first leg scheduled for 29 April in Madrid and the return on 5 May at Emirates Stadium. The other semifinal will pit Paris Saint-Germain against Bayern Munich, with the final to be held on 30 May in Budapest.
It was a tense and largely uninspiring evening at the Emirates, with Arsenal protecting the slender advantage given to them by Kai Havertz's stoppage-time goal in Lisbon the previous week. Sporting — a Lisbon-based club appearing at this stage of the competition for only the second time, having previously done so in 1983 — matched their hosts over much of the contest and came close to levelling the tie just before halftime when Mozambican winger Geny Catamo's volley struck the post. After the break, Uruguayan defender Maximiliano Araujo also tested Arsenal before a penalty appeal was waved away by French referee François Letexier. Arsenal substitute Leandro Trossard hit the woodwork late on, but the hosts were unable to put the match beyond doubt, eventually holding on for an eighth clean sheet in 12 Champions League appearances this season.
The performance raised questions about Arsenal's current form. Key players including Norwegian midfielder Martin Ødegaard and Spanish midfielder Javi Merino are sidelined through injury, and the team has lost three of their last four matches across all competitions, including a league defeat to Bournemouth and a League Cup final loss to Manchester City. During the match, winger Noni Madueke was substituted after a knock to the knee, adding to injury concerns ahead of a pivotal Premier League meeting with Manchester City on Sunday. Manager Mikel Arteta was also booked for nervous touchline behaviour.
Despite the nervy passage through, Arsenal captain Declan Rice emphasised the scale of the achievement.