Arsenal secured their place in the Champions League semi-finals with a 2-1 victory over Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu on Thursday. This triumph allowed them to achieve a 5-1 aggregate win, following a commanding 3-0 victory at home. The second leg was marked by significant drama and controversy, particularly involving winger Bukayo Saka.

The Arsenal star was involved in a tense confrontation with Real Madrid’s Dani Carvajal during the half-time break, as tensions escalated between the two teams.

Saka, who had previously missed a penalty in the first half while attempting a Panenka, was heading towards the tunnel when Carvajal grabbed him by the neck and raised his hand in aggression. This led to a heated exchange between the two players, drawing the attention of their teammates. Carvajal, currently sidelined with an ACL injury, was pushed away by Saka, with Ben White stepping in to support his Arsenal colleague.

Here is the full video of Saka’s heated tunnel bust-up with Carvajal:

Saka redeemed himself in the second half by scoring the opening goal. After receiving a flick-on from Mikel Merino, he passed the ball to Martin Odegaard. The Arsenal captain engaged in a smooth exchange with Declan Rice and then Merino, who subsequently delivered the ball back to Saka in the penalty area. Saka skillfully lifted the ball over Thibaut Courtois to find the net. Just two minutes later, in the 67th minute, Vinicius Jr. equalized for Madrid, bringing the score to 1-1.

With the match tied at 1-1 as it approached the 90th minute, it became clear that Madrid would not advance, as Arsenal held a commanding 4-1 aggregate lead. Tragedy struck for Madrid once more when Merino scored in the third minute of stoppage time, finishing off a brilliant through ball from Gabriel Martinelli to make it 2-1.

After the match, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta remarked, “This demonstrates the team's capability; when we are at our best, we can compete against any opponent. This is particularly true given the challenges we face and the absence of several key players. The manner in which we are achieving this is remarkable.”

“Now, we must prepare for the semi-finals against a familiar opponent that we have faced before. It promises to be an exciting match.”

In the Champions League semi-finals, Arsenal will go up against PSG, who triumphed over Aston Villa with a 5-4 aggregate score. The first leg is set for April 30. Meanwhile, Barcelona will compete against Inter Milan in the other semi-final, with their first leg scheduled for May 1.

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