LONDON, ENGLAND — One rebound. One reaction. One moment of pure instinct from Bukayo Saka was enough. The England winger pounced on a spilled Jan Oblak save in the 44th minute to give Arsenal a 1-0 victory over Atlético Madrid at Emirates Stadium on Tuesday, sending the Gunners to the UEFA Champions League final for the first time in 20 years. They advance 2-1 on aggregate.
The decisive moment arrived just before the interval. Leandro Trossard worked a right-footed drive toward the bottom right corner that Oblak pushed out — and Saka, sharper than anyone in red and white, got there first, stabbing a left-footed finish from very close range into the same corner. It was not a beautiful goal. It was a finisher's goal. Nobody in the Emirates complained.
The first leg in Madrid a week ago had ended 1-1, Viktor Gyökeres converting from the spot before Julián Álvarez equalized on a Ben White handball. Arsenal came home needing to protect a narrow advantage. They did exactly that.
Diego Simeone's response at halftime was emphatic. Three simultaneous substitutions arrived at the 57th minute — Johnny Cardoso on for Giuliano Simeone, Alexander Sørloth on for Robin Le Normand, Nahuel Molina on for Ademola Lookman — as Atlético tried to manufacture a lifeline. Arteta countered within seconds: Piero Hincapié replaced Riccardo Calafiori, Noni Madueke replaced Saka, Martin Ødegaard replaced Eberechi Eze. Álex Baena and Thiago Almada followed for Griezmann and Álvarez in the 66th minute. The board turned; the scoreboard did not.
Atlético had their moments. Griezmann got off a right-footed shot from the right side of the box in the 56th minute that David Raya turned away in the bottom right corner. Marcos Llorente tested Raya again in the 81st, a left-footed effort saved in the same spot. Martín Zubimendi came on for Myles Lewis-Skelly in the 74th to add defensive cover as the pressure built. Gabriel Martinelli replaced Trossard in the 83rd to give Arsenal an outlet on the break. It held.
Marc Pubill's yellow card in the 81st minute for a reckless foul on Gyökeres captured Atlético's mounting frustration. Koke and Arsenal goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga — unused but on the bench — both picked up bookings deep in stoppage time as tempers frayed through five additional minutes. German referee Daniel Siebert oversaw a controlled finish.
Arsenal are going to Budapest. They will face either Paris Saint-Germain or Bayern Munich in the Puskás Aréna on May 30 — PSG lead that semifinal 5-4 heading into Wednesday's second leg. Atlético must regroup quickly; the Madrid derby against Real Madrid arrives May 10.
Twenty years since the 2006 final. One dirty rebound. One decisive result. The Gunners are back on the grandest stage in European football.