Arsenal vs. Atletico Madrid Champions League Semifinal: lock in

Q: What was the result of the first leg between Arsenal and Atletico Madrid?

The first leg ended in a 1-1 draw.

Q: Who are the key players returning for Arsenal in the semifinal match?

Bukayo Saka is back in the lineup, and Martin Ødegaard and Kai Havertz are available but their starting status is uncertain.

Q: What are the implications of the Champions League semifinal match for Arsenal?

Winning this match would secure Arsenal a place in the Champions League final, a significant achievement after topping the League Phase table.

Q: Which players are missing for Atletico Madrid in the semifinal?

Pablo Barrios and Nico Gonzalez will miss the match due to injuries.

LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 05: The Arsenal team bus arrives to fans waiting outside the stadium as red smoke flares are set off prior to the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Semi Final Second Leg match between Arsenal FC and Atletico de Madrid at Arsenal Stadium on May 05, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images) | Arsenal FC via Getty Images Arsenal host Atletico Madrid at the Emirates with a spot in the Champions League final on the line. The first leg ended in a (somewhat disappointing given the rescinded penalty) 1-1 draw in Madrid last week, so today’s match is for all the marbles. Draw away, win at home, advance. This match, more than anything, is Arsenal’s payoff for topping the League Phase table. That finish earned this second leg at home, which will be a massive boost. Atleti squeezed every ounce out of their home leg that they possibly could have. Their formidable, raucous home support lifted their side and seemed to influence the referee’s decisions. Just ask Declan Rice, who said as much after the match and drew the ire of UEFA for his comments. There were questions about the length of the grass at the Metropolitano, suggestions that the prescribed watering schedule was not followed, and reports that the two halves of the pitch were watered differently at halftime. The visitors won’t have those little (or perhaps not so little) edges at the Emirates. Instead, Arsenal will have their supporters in full voice. There are already videos and images circulating on social media of Arsenal fans showing their support in the streets well before kickoff. North London is rocking and it’s only going to get louder. As far as on pitch stuff goes, the first leg draw means we’re likely to see more of the same tactics from both sides. The question is which half from Madrid will we see — the first, where Arsenal were in control, or the second, where Atleti surged before the Gunners wrested things back. The visitors will once again pick their spots to press high and hard and will also look to spring their pacey, skilled attackers into space with longer balls and quick-developing attacks. Even if Arsenal play mostly the same way, they should be better at doing it with back in the lineup. The star winger looked fit, sharp, and explosive against en route to a goal and an assist. Don’t overlook ’s contributions, either. The Italian fullback also missed the first leg, and his surges forward could unbalance and overload the Atleti defense. retains his place in midfield, which is a big call from Mikel Arteta. The 19-year old was excellent against a somewhat depleted Fulham side. Atletico Madrid in a Champions League semifinal will be an entirely different beast. Mikel Arteta declared both Martin Ødegaard and available for today’s match. It’s unclear whether either is fit enough to start, but it’s better to have them than not. My gut says Ødegaard might be able to play 50-60 minutes while Havertz will be limited to an impact sub but that’s based on nothing more than guesswork. is back doing some work on the grass, but it seems as if he’s not terribly close to returning — maybe he’ll be back for the last match or two of the season and the CL final, if Arsenal advance today. The same goes for on an even more pushed-out timeline. Atleti will be without and Nico Gonzalez, both of whom missed the first leg. has been playing through injuries and left the first leg in clear discomfort — he’ll play but likely not the entire match and probably not at full effectiveness. and David Hancko, who were left out of the side entirely at the weekend, are good to go. Simeone heavily rotated his team in La Liga, so his players should be decently rested. Fortunately, Arsenal were able to throttle back after taking a 3-0 halftime lead against Fulham, so they’ll be fresher than they would have been if the match had been closer. Bukayo Saka, who did not play in the first leg, only played 45 minutes at the weekend, none of Declan Rice, , nor played a full 90 minutes. came off the bench in the second half, presumably to keep sharp. Fatigue is always a factor at this stage of the season, but it likely won’t be as influential as it could have been. That’s a plus for Arsenal vis-a-vis Atleti. Had things gone different in the Premier League, the Spanish side might have had a meaningful edge. *Arsenal* – Raya, White, , Gabriel, Calafiori, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Saka, Eze, , Gyokeres *Atleti* – , , , , , Simeone, , Llorente, , , Alvarez **WHO**: Arsenal vs. Atletico Madrid **WHAT**: Champions League SF 2nd leg (1-1 agg.) **WHERE**: The Emirates Stadium **WHEN**: Tuesday, May 5th 12:00pm PT | 3:00pm ET | 8:00pm GMT **US TV**: Streaming on Paramount+ **Please do not discuss or share links to illegal streams here**. For all your international streaming needs, check .