Madrid witnessed a tightly contested first leg of the Champions League semifinal on Wednesday, as Atletico Madrid and Arsenal battled to a 1-1 draw. The match, filled with contentious moments and penalty decisions, leaves everything to play for in the return leg in London.
Arsenal took the lead just before halftime through a penalty converted by Viktor Gyokeres. However, Atletico Madrid responded in the second half, too from the spot, with a goal from Julian Alvarez.
The match wasn’t the free-flowing, high-scoring affair seen in Tuesday’s PSG-Bayern Munich clash, but both sides created opportunities in a typically physical encounter. Arsenal appeared to adapt well to the back-and-forth rhythm of the game, and nearly snatched a late winner, but a controversial VAR decision denied them a penalty in the 81st minute.
Referee Danny Makkelie initially awarded a penalty after David Hancko challenged Eberechi Eze for a loose ball, but the decision was overturned following a lengthy video review. The reversal sparked debate, with many questioning whether sufficient contact occurred to warrant the initial call, let alone its subsequent cancellation.
“The decision to not give the penalty, let alone to overturn the decision of penalty on the field, was surprising, to say the least,” commentators noted.
The second leg is scheduled for Tuesday at 3 pm ET in London, promising a thrilling conclusion to this Champions League semifinal tie.
Atletico Madrid vs Arsenal final score: 1-1
Goalscorers: Viktor Gyokeres (44′ – PK), Julian Alvarez (56′ – PK)
NO PENALTY! Referee Danny Makkelie says no penalty after video review (81′)
VAR saves Atlético from a third penalty in this match 👀
GOAL! Atleti 1-1 Arsenal: Alvarez hammers a penalty in the top corner (56′)
