Arsenal Ends 20-Year Wait for Champions League Final with Saka's Goal

With the result, Arsenal won the tie 2-1 on aggregate after drawing 1-1 in the first leg at the Wanda Metropolitano.

The match saw a resilient performance from Mikel Arteta's side, who were determined to return to Europe's elite competition after a 20-year absence from the final.

The only goal of the match came early in the late first half, with Bukayo Saka scoring in the 44th minute. Saka was on hand to tap in a rebound in the 45th minute after Leandro Trossard's shot was saved by Jan Oblak to give Arsenal a 1-0 lead.

It was Saka's 13th Champions League goal for Arsenal, putting him in a tie for fourth on the club's all-time list.

Atletico Madrid, who were hoping to reach their first final since 2016, pushed forward in search of an equaliser but were unable to break down Arsenal's well-organised defence.

The victory marks a remarkable achievement for Arsenal, who had not reached the Champions League final since their appearance in 2006, when they were narrowly defeated by Barcelona.

This victory also means that the Premier League side will now face the winner of the other semi-final clash between Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain, with the final set to take place in Allianz Arena on Thursday.

PSG won the pulsating first leg of their semifinal 5-4, and the second leg is in Munich on Wednesday.

As for Atletico Madrid, the defeat is a bitter blow to Diego Simeone's team, who will now focus on securing a top-four finish in La Liga to guarantee their return to the Champions League next season.

Arsenal's qualification for the final is a testament to their progress under Arteta, and it promises to be an exciting showdown with either Bayern Munich or PSG for the coveted European crown.

"It's an incredible night, we made history again together, and I cannot be happier, prouder for everybody that's involved in this football club," Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said at a news conference, as quoted by ESPN. "The manner that we received outside the stadium was special and unique.

"The atmosphere, our support has created the energy, the way he managed every ball with us, they made it special and unique, I never felt that in the stadium.

"We knew how much it meant to everybody, we put everything, the boys did an incredible job and after 20 years and a second time in our history, we are back in the Champions League final."

- ANI