Image source: Getty Images
2025-26 UEFA Champions League
Semi-finals, first leg
Atletico Madrid v Arsenal
Estadio Metropolitano
Madrid, Spain
Wednesday, 29 April 2026
Kick-off is at 20h00
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is aware that they have to take what chances come their way against Atletico Madrid at Metropolitano in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League semi-finals on Wednesday, April 29.
Los Colchoneros are notoriously hard to beat in Madrid, losing just two of their seven home matches in the competition this season, against Bodo/Glimt (2-1) in the league phase and Barcelona (2-1) in the quarter-finals.
The Gunners are amongst the favourites to lift the trophy next month as the only unbeaten team in the 2025-26 Champions League, winning 12 of their 14 games.
Image source: Getty Images
Arteta's side finished top of the standings in the league phase with a perfect record of eight wins from eight, although their form has wavered in the knockout stages.
Their 100 per cent start came to an end with a 1-1 draw against Bayer Leverkusen in Germany in the round of 16, but a 2-0 victory at the Emirates Stadium saw them advance 3-1 on aggregate.
The Premier League leaders then edged Sporting CP 1-0 in Lisbon in the first leg of their last-eight tie before being held to a 0-0 draw in London.
Image source: Getty Images
Arsenal arrested a two-match losing streak in the league with a 1-0 triumph over Newcastle on Saturday, April 25 and Arteta admitted they lacked a cutting edge in the final third, something they cannot afford to do against Atleti.
"With the ball there were moments where we have to do much better. We want to be much more dominant in the game," the Spaniard said.
"In many areas, in the way that we don't finish actions, the amount of times that we get into positions [where] we have to have some end-product and get set in the final third and continue there. [Instead], the play breaks up.
"But the important thing is the reaction to those plays when that happens."
Head-to-Head (Previous UCL Meetings)
Matches - 1
Atletico wins - 0
Arsenal wins - 1
Draws - 0
UCL semi-final first-leg fixtures:
Tuesday, April 28
21h00: Paris Saint-Germain v Bayern Munich
Wednesday, April 29
21h00: Atletico Madrid v Arsenal
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