Arsenal welcome Atletico Madrid to the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday, 5 May 2026, for a UEFA Champions League semi-final second leg that will decide who travels to Budapest for the final.
Nothing is separating the teams after a 1-1 draw at the Metropolitano in the first leg on 29 April. Viktor Gyökeres put Arsenal ahead from the penalty spot before Julián Álvarez converted another penalty for Atletico in the second half, leaving the tie perfectly balanced ahead of the return fixture in north London.
Arsenal enter the match with home advantage, an unbeaten Champions League record this season and renewed confidence after beating Fulham 3-0 in the Premier League. Atletico, however, have already demonstrated their ability to survive difficult knockout ties and arrive after a 2-0 La Liga victory away to Valencia.
With a place in the Champions League final at stake, this promises to be a much tighter contest than Arsenal's 4-0 victory over Atletico at the Emirates earlier this season.
Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid Head-to-Head Record
Unlike many major European rivalries, Arsenal and Atletico Madrid do not have an extensive competitive history. Before Tuesday's second leg, the clubs had faced each other only four times in competitive football. Their first two meetings came during the 2017/18 Europa League semi-finals before they were drawn together again in the 2025/26 Champions League league phase and then this season's semi-final.
The four competitive meetings are:
29 April 2026: Atletico Madrid 1-1 Arsenal
21 October 2025: Arsenal 4-0 Atletico Madrid
3 May 2018: Atletico Madrid 1-0 Arsenal
26 April 2018: Arsenal 1-1 Atletico Madrid
That gives the teams an extremely balanced results record:
Arsenal wins: 1
Atletico Madrid wins: 1
Draws: 2
Total goals: 9
Arsenal goals: 6
Atletico Madrid goals: 3
Average goals per game: 2.25
The results may be balanced, but Arsenal's 4-0 victory at the Emirates earlier in the current Champions League campaign heavily influences the goal difference. UEFA also confirmed that Atletico's only previous European meetings with Arsenal before this season were the two Europa League semi-final matches in 2018.
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Most Recent Meeting: Atletico Madrid 1-1 Arsenal
The first leg in Madrid showed why Tuesday's match is unlikely to resemble Arsenal's 4-0 victory from October. Arsenal took the lead through Gyökeres from the penalty spot, but Atletico responded after halftime and Álvarez converted a penalty of his own to make it 1-1. Atletico improved considerably during the second half, pressed Arsenal more aggressively and created opportunities to take an advantage over London.
Antoine Griezmann was particularly dangerous and struck the crossbar as Atletico pushed for a winner. Arsenal also felt they could have been awarded another penalty after a late challenge involving Dávid Hancko, but the decision went against the visitors. The draw means there is no complicated calculation for either team at the Emirates. A victory sends either side directly into the final, while another draw after 90 minutes would take the tie into extra time.
Arsenal's Record at the Emirates
Home advantage is one of the strongest reasons Arsenal will feel confident. Their record against Spanish clubs has improved dramatically in recent seasons. Before this second leg, Arsenal had lost only one of their previous 15 home matches against Spanish opposition in UEFA competition, winning nine and drawing five.
They had also won their previous three home matches against Spanish clubs without conceding. One of those victories was the 4-0 demolition of Atletico in October. Arsenal have been even more impressive across the current Champions League campaign. They reached the semi-final as the competition's only unbeaten team and had recorded 10 wins and two draws from their first 12 matches before the first leg against Atletico.
The 1-1 result in Madrid extended that unbeaten European run further. That consistency gives Mikel Arteta's players plenty of reason for confidence, although knockout football often rewards caution as much as attacking quality.
Arsenal's Current Form
Arsenal also enter the match at the top of the Premier League. Their 3-0 victory over Fulham on 2 May moved them onto 76 points from 35 matches, six points ahead of Manchester City at the time, although City still had games in hand.
Viktor Gyökeres scored twice against Fulham, while Bukayo Saka also found the net on his return to the starting lineup. The victory followed a 1-1 draw against Atletico and a crucial 1-0 Premier League win over Newcastle United. Arsenal had experienced a difficult period shortly beforehand, suffering back-to-back league defeats against Bournemouth and Manchester City, but victories over Newcastle and Fulham quickly restored their momentum.
The Newcastle win moved Arsenal back to the top of the table, while the Fulham result strengthened their position further. The bigger story has been Arsenal's defensive consistency and adaptability. UEFA described Arteta's team as being built around a powerful defence, dangerous set pieces and a wide distribution of goals throughout the squad. Gyökeres has provided the central attacking presence Arsenal wanted, while Saka's return adds another major threat from the right.
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Atletico Madrid's Current Form
Atletico Madrid's domestic season has been less convincing. Diego Simeone's team enter the second leg in fourth place in La Liga, not third, with 63 points after their victory against Valencia.
Their recent league results have improved, but only after a difficult run. Atletico went into their 25 April meeting with Athletic Club having suffered four consecutive La Liga defeats. They ended that sequence with a dramatic 3-2 victory before drawing 1-1 against Arsenal in Europe and then beating Valencia 2-0 at Mestalla.
Simeone made extensive changes against Valencia with the Champions League second leg approaching. The decision paid off as academy players Iker Luque and Miguel Cubo scored the goals in a 2-0 victory. That result means Atletico travel to London having avoided defeat in their last three matches in all competitions.
Their Champions League campaign has also demonstrated considerable resilience. Atletico eliminated Club Brugge in the knockout playoff before overcoming Tottenham and Barcelona to reach their first Champions League semi-final in nine years.
Arsenal Team News and Injuries
Arsenal received an important double boost on the eve of the match. Martin Ødegaard and Kai Havertz had both missed the open training session before the Atletico game, creating doubts about their availability. However, Arteta confirmed on 4 May that both players were available and would be included in the squad.
Ødegaard had been dealing with a knee problem after the first leg, while Havertz had been recovering from a muscular issue. Bukayo Saka is also available. He returned to the starting lineup against Fulham and played 45 minutes, scoring once as Arsenal carefully managed his workload ahead of the Champions League semi-final.
There are still absences. Mikel Merino remains sidelined following his foot problem, while Jurriën Timber has been dealing with a groin injury and is not expected to feature. Having Ødegaard, Havertz and Saka available nevertheless gives Arteta significantly more attacking flexibility for one of Arsenal's biggest European nights in years.
Atletico Madrid Team News and Injuries
Atletico have also received several important fitness boosts. Julián Álvarez caused concern after suffering a minor ankle sprain during the first leg and was rested against Valencia. However, the Argentine travelled to London and is available for selection. He enters the match with 20 goals and nine assists from 48 appearances in all competitions and remains one of Atletico's biggest attacking threats.
Alexander Sørloth and Giuliano Simeone were also carrying knocks and missed the Valencia match, but both were included in Atletico's travelling squad. José María Giménez has returned to the squad after approximately a month out injured, giving Simeone another experienced defensive option, although he may not be ready to start.
The confirmed absentees are more significant in midfield and on the wing. Pablo Barrios remains unavailable because of a muscular injury, while Nico González is also sidelined.
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Tactical Matchup and Style of Play
1. Arsenal
Arsenal will likely try to control territory without becoming reckless. Arteta's team is capable of using either a 4-3-3 or a shape that resembles a 4-2-3-1 when attacking. Declan Rice gives them protection through the middle, while Ødegaard and Arsenal's other creative midfielders can look for spaces between Atletico's midfield and defensive lines.
Saka's availability should be especially important. His ability to attack one-on-one and combine around the right side gives Arsenal a way of stretching Atletico's compact defensive structure. Gyökeres provides a different problem centrally. He scored twice when Arsenal beat Atletico 4-0 earlier in the Champions League campaign and converted Arsenal's penalty in Madrid. Arsenal will also remain dangerous from dead-ball situations, an area that has become one of the team's major strengths.
2. Atletico Madrid
Atletico's reputation remains strongly associated with defensive organisation, but Simeone's current side has more attacking variety than some of his previous teams. UEFA describes a 4-4-2 as the foundation of Atletico's system, with strong defensive organisation, aggressive pressure after losing possession and quicker ball movement when opportunities arise.
Álvarez provides movement and finishing through the middle, while Griezmann remains capable of dropping into deeper positions to connect midfield and attack. Ademola Lookman, Giuliano Simeone and Sørloth provide additional options depending on how Simeone wants to approach the game. Atletico showed during the second half of the first leg that they can trouble Arsenal by increasing the intensity of their press rather than simply defending close to their own penalty area.
What the Previous Meetings Tell Us
The 4-0 Arsenal victory in October makes the Gunners look dominant when the overall scoring record is considered, but the other three competitive matches tell a different story. Two finished 1-1, while Atletico won the other 1-0.
That means three of the clubs' four competitive meetings before Tuesday produced no more than two goals. The 2018 Europa League semi-final is particularly relevant because Atletico survived a 1-1 first leg at Arsenal before winning 1-0 in Madrid and eventually lifting the trophy.
Arsenal are therefore in a stronger position than they were eight years ago because they now have the decisive match at home, but Atletico have already shown that they are comfortable in tight European knockout situations.
Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid Match Expectations
Arsenal enter the second leg as the favourites to progress. They have home advantage, remain unbeaten in this season's Champions League and have an excellent recent record against Spanish opposition at the Emirates. The returns of Ødegaard and Havertz, combined with Saka's improving fitness and Gyökeres' goalscoring form, also strengthen Arteta's options.
However, Atletico have enough experience and attacking quality to make this a dangerous match. Simeone's side eliminated Barcelona despite losing the second leg of their quarter-final and have repeatedly shown their willingness to defend under pressure when a European tie becomes uncomfortable. Their first-leg performance against Arsenal also improved as the match progressed.
The key for Arsenal will be patience. Trying to settle the tie too quickly could open the spaces that Álvarez, Griezmann and Atletico's runners want to attack. If Arsenal can control possession while maintaining their defensive structure, their home record suggests they have the stronger chance of reaching the final.
For Atletico, the objective will be to keep the Emirates crowd anxious for as long as possible. The longer the match remains level, the greater the pressure could become on an Arsenal team attempting to reach only the second Champions League final in the club's history.
Everything remains open after the 1-1 first leg, but Arsenal's outstanding European campaign, formidable home record and returning attacking players give the Gunners a slight advantage heading into what could become one of the most significant nights the Emirates Stadium has hosted.