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• Thu Apr 17 2025

Arsenal secured a spot in the highly anticipated Champions League semi-finals after defeating Real Madrid 5-1 on aggregate.

Bukayo Saka opened the scoring for the visitors in the 65th minute, and his teammate Gabriel Martinelli added a late goal to seal the victory.

The Gunners travelled to Spain with a three-goal advantage, which they earned in the first leg at Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal cruised into the UEFA Champions League semi-finals after defeating La Liga giants Real Madrid in the second leg of their quarter-final clash at the iconic Santiago Bernab?u on Wednesday night.

Declan Rice and Thomas Partey were involved in a heated confrontation in the closing minutes of the match. Photo by Image Photo Agency/Stuart MacFarlane.

Source: Getty Images

England international Bukayo Saka opened the scoring for the Gunners in the 65th minute, redeeming himself after having a penalty saved by Thibaut Courtois earlier in the match.

Two minutes later, Brazilian maestro Vin?cius J?nior equalised for Real Madrid, capitalising after teammate Kylian Mbapp? was controversially denied a penalty by VAR in the 23rd minute, following a dangerous tackle by Declan Rice inside the box.

The match between the two teams was filled with drama, forcing the referee, Fran?ois Letexier, to work hard to maintain control over the passionate players, all desperate for victory.

At one point during the clash, two Arsenal stars?midfielders Declan Rice and Thomas Partey?were involved in a heated confrontation in the closing minutes of the match.

What happened between the two?

Ghanaian star Thomas Partey was booked for knocking over former Arsenal player Dani Ceballos during a brief altercation involving Antonio Rudiger, who had earlier avoided a booking.

Aware of the importance of the match and the role of his teammate, Rice couldn?t stand by and let it escalate.

He rushed to separate them, but it was too late..

Referee Francois Letexier shows a yellow card to Thomas Partey of Arsenal during the UEFA Champions League match between Real Madrid C.F. and Arsenal FC. Photo by David Ramos.

Source: Getty Images

The impact of Partey's Red card

The Gunners' 2-1 victory over the Whites secured them a spot in the semi-finals of the global tournament.

Following his yellow card, the 31-year-old defensive midfielder will now miss the first leg of the semi-final clash.

Partey's absence at this crucial stage of the tournament is a major blow to manager Mikel Arteta, who is already grappling with a squad depth issue due to growing injury concerns.

Who could be selected to take the Party's position?

Manager Arteta will now face the challenge of deciding who can best fill Partey's role if Arsenal are to have a chance at clinching the Champions League title.

Former Manchester City star Oleksandr Zinchenko, who was introduced late in the game, could be moved into midfield after being sidelined for a while.

Alternatively, Mikel Merino, who has been operating as a false striker, might be shifted back to his natural position, while Leandro Trossard could take on the false nine role.

What's next for Arsenal?

After successfully eliminating the Whites, the Gunners will now face Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of the tournament semi-finals.

As per the Arsenal website, the clash between the two teams will take place on 29th April this year.

Why Real Madrid were denied a penalty.

TUKO.co.ke had previously reported on why Los Blancos were denied a penalty after Rice fouled Kylian Mbapp?.

VAR took about five minutes to review the incident and asked the referee, Fran?ois Letexier, to check the screen.

After looking at the replay, the referee changed his mind, cancelled the penalty, and took back the yellow card he had given to Rice.

Source: TUKO.co.ke