Arsenal Seize the Upper Hand Against Atletico Madrid in Thrilling Semifinal Deadlock

Arsenal hold the upper hand after a 1–1 stalemate with Atlético Madrid in the opening leg of their Champions League semifinal, even as the Gunners had a second-half penalty controversially reversed.

Tuesday evening's drama at the Metropolitano produced some breathtaking attacking moments, yet it was disciplined defending and tactical restraint that defined a tightly contested first half in Madrid. Atléti and Arsenal managed just two combined shots on target before the interval, one of which handed the visitors the advantage as Gyökeres won and converted a penalty in the 44th minute.

Arsenal's composed away performance had silenced the passionate home crowd, but they were roused by a penalty of their own 10 minutes into the second half. Ben White was harshly penalized for handball after a VAR review, and Julián Alvarez emphatically dispatched the spot kick to restore parity.

VAR took center stage again later in the match, with another penalty initially awarded to Arsenal for a foul on Eberechi Eze. However, after referee Danny Makkelie was directed to the pitchside monitor for the second time, he reversed his decision despite clear contact between the Atléti defender and the Englishman.

Ultimately, that proved to be the last significant moment for either team, as both sides settled for a hard-earned draw ahead of next week's second leg at the Emirates Stadium.

Winners and Losers

Winner

Declan Rice was anticipated to play his typical dynamic, box-to-box role at the Metropolitano, but Mikel Arteta had other ideas. Deploying the Englishman as his deepest-lying midfielder proved an astute call, with Rice shielding the back four superbly and helping neutralize the threat of Atléti's creative forwards.

Piero Hincapié also delivered an outstanding defensive shift at left back, the Ecuador international completely nullifying Atléti's attacking threat down the right flank. The likes of Marcos Llorente and Giuliano Simeone found no way past the Arsenal defender.

Losers

Arsenal's sluggish attacking play in recent weeks has been compounded by Gabriel Martinelli's continued poor form. Avoiding the responsibility of carrying the ball forward and too frequently opting for the safe pass, Martinelli failed to conjure any moments of quality down Arsenal's left flank in Madrid during yet another flat display.

Jurriën Timber's absence has been a recurring issue over the past month, and his presence was badly missed here. Ben White struggled considerably to contain Ademola Lookman after the break, losing his man on multiple occasions and gifting the Nigeria international a clear shooting chance at one point.

Arsenal Player Ratings vs. Atletico Madrid (4-3-3)

*Ratings provided by FotMob*

GK: David Raya—7.8: Largely untroubled throughout but produced crucial saves when Atléti did test him.

RB: Ben White—6.2: Unfortunate to fall foul of UEFA's strict handball rules, but was clearly the most vulnerable member of the Arsenal backline. Lookman got the better of him on more than one occasion.

CB: William Saliba—7.5: After a shaky weekend performance, Saliba bounced back with a more commanding display under pressure in Madrid.

CB: Gabriel—6.9: A vital last-ditch block denied Antoine Griezmann at close range, and the Brazilian generally organized the Arsenal defense well.

LB: Piero Hincapié—7.4: The combined threat of Llorente and Simeone posed a real danger for the Gunners, but Hincapié's excellent showing kept both in check.

CM: Martin Ødegaard—6.8: Looked to inject tempo into Arsenal's play and was involved in the move that led to Gyökeres's penalty. Substituted before the hour, likely as a precaution ahead of the weekend.

CM: Martín Zubimendi—6.5: Found it difficult at times to deal with the movement of Alvarez and Griezmann, who both dropped deep to link play. In possession, he pushed further forward than usual and contributed to Arsenal's penalty with a tidy pass.

CM: Declan Rice—7.1: Operated in a deeper position than anticipated, frequently dropping into Arsenal's defensive shape to provide additional cover. Characteristically energetic in controlling the midfield.

RW: Noni Madueke—6.6: Showed flashes of his usual quality throughout, with one curling effort narrowly missing the post standing out as his best moment.

ST: Viktor Gyökeres—8.1: Arsenal have been desperate for Gyökeres to deliver on the biggest occasions, and while the Swede had just 15 touches, he provided a genuine cutting edge in attack.

LW: Gabriel Martinelli—6.4: The left wing has been a persistent weak spot for Arsenal this season, and another subdued outing from Martinelli highlighted the ongoing concern.

SUB: Eberechi Eze (58' for Ødegaard)—6.6: Unfortunate not to be awarded a penalty after Dávid Hancko's clumsy challenge, and brought a welcome injection of energy from the bench.

SUB: Leandro Trossard (68' for Martinelli)—5.9: Had limited involvement during his brief appearance.

SUB: Bukayo Saka (68' for Madueke)—6.0: Appeared short of sharpness in his second outing since returning from injury.

SUB: Gabriel Jesus (68' for Gyökeres)—6.4: Helped Arsenal regain some semblance of control.

SUB: Cristhian Mosquera (86' for White)—N/A

Subs not used: Kepa Arrizabalaga (GK), Tommy Setford (GK), Marli Salmon, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Riccardo Calafiori, Christian Nørgaard, Max Dowman.

What the Ratings Tell Us

The Numbers That Explain Arsenal's Hard-Fought Draw