Set to face Atletico Madrid on Tuesday for the second leg of the semifinals, Arsenal will be looking to secure a place in the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League final. Arsenal face Atletico Madrid on Tuesday, May 6, at the Emirates Stadium in the second leg of their 2025-26 UEFA Champions League semifinal tie. With a place in the Budapest final tantalizingly close, the Gunners’ path to Hungary remains uncertain heading into the decisive match.
In the first leg at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano last week, Arsenal took the lead through Viktor Gyokeres from the penalty spot, only to be pegged back by Julián Álvarez, who converted another penalty in the 56th minute to level the tie at 1-1 on aggregate, leaving everything to be decided at the Emirates.
Since that result in Spain, Arsenal’s morale has been given a significant boost by a dominant 3-0 home win over Fulham, which reclaimed top spot in the Premier League as Manchester City dropped points against Everton. Atletico, meanwhile, secured a 2-0 away victory at Valencia but notably rested the majority of their key starters ahead of Tuesday’s second leg.
How an Arsenal win affects the Champions League bracket
A victory for Arsenal on Tuesday would send the Gunners through to the UEFA Champions League final, where they would await the winner of Wednesday’s other semifinal between Bayern Munich and PSG in Germany to learn their opponent in Budapest.
Viktor Gyokeres of Arsenal celebrates scoring against Atletico de Madrid.
It would also mark Arsenal’s first appearance in the Champions League final since 2006, when they faced FC Barcelona at the Stade de France in Paris. On that occasion, Sol Campbell gave the Gunners the lead, but goals from Samuel Eto’o and Juliano Belletti completed a 2-1 Barcelona comeback. Nearly two decades on, Tuesday represents another chance for Arsenal to finally claim European soccer’s ultimate club prize.
How an Arsenal draw affects the Champions League bracket
If the two sides cannot be separated after 90 minutes at the Emirates, the tie will move to extra time, regardless of the scoreline. Since the 2021-22 season, UEFA has officially abolished the away goals rule across all of its club competitions, meaning a draw at full time will not favor either side and the match will be decided over two additional 15-minute periods.
As the second leg, a definitive winner must be determined. Should the scores remain level after 120 minutes, the tie will go to a penalty shootout for a place in the final.
How an Arsenal defeat affects the Champions League bracket
A defeat for Arsenal on Tuesday would end their 2025-26 Champions League campaign, with the 1-1 aggregate score meaning any loss at the Emirates would send Atletico through to the final in Budapest.
It would also bring to an end an impressive unbeaten run in the competition. Arsenal have gone 13 games in this season’s Champions League without defeat, winning 10 and drawing three across the league phase and the knockout rounds, making any elimination on home soil an especially painful way to go out.