Arsenal and Barcelona reach Champions League semifinals, knocking out Real and Borussia
Arsenal reached the Champions League semifinals for the first time since 2009 after defeating reigning champions Real Madrid, while Barcelona returned to Europe's top 4 after a six-year break.
Photo: Steffen Prößdorf, CC BY-SA 4.0
London's Arsenal secured a 2–1 victory over Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu and reached the Champions League semifinals for the first time since 2009.
Goals from Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli gave Mikel Arteta's side a solid advantage despite a response from Vinícius Júnior.
In another quarterfinal, Barcelona advanced despite a 1–3 loss to Borussia Dortmund, thanks to their 4–0 win in the first leg.
A hat-trick from Serhou Guirassy wasn't enough for the German side to close the gap, and Ramy Bensebaïni's own goal in the return leg played a decisive role in the final 5–3 scoreline in favor of the Catalans.
In the semifinals, Arsenal will face Paris Saint-Germain, while Barcelona will take on Inter Milan. The first-leg matches are scheduled for April 29 and 30, with the return legs on May 6 and 7.
Earlier, Paris Saint-Germain secured an early Ligue 1 title by defeating Angers 1–0. The winning goal was scored by 19-year-old Désiré Doué, allowing the Parisians to clinch the championship six rounds before the end of the season.