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Reaction & highlights as Arsenal and Bayern Munich reach the Champions League last four Harry Kane's Bayern Munich beat Real Madrid in a thrilling match to reach the semi-finals Kane becomes the first Englishman in almost a century to score 50 goals in a single season Arda Guler was given a red card in the closing moments for confronting the referee - a decision described by his manager as 'unbelievable' Dismissing under-pressure boss Alvaro Arbeloa would serve little purpose, writes Elizabeth Conway Declan Rice defends Arsenal's style after they had just one shot on target in the second leg at the Emirates Opta give Arsenal a 36. 75% chance of winning the competition outright Written by Ben Ramsdale, Craig Nelson, Ella Gibbs & Grace Wheeler Bayern Munich 4-3 Real Madrid (6-4 on agg) This video can not be played Bayern score late to win seven-goal thriller over Real Madrid Five goals were scored in a blistering, breathless first half of a quarter-final second-leg cracker, before the game switched to a tactical battle after the break with both sides slowing down the tempo. It looked like extra time would be needed to settle the outcome, but Real Madrid substitute Eduardo Camavinga was shown a second yellow card for time-wasting four minutes from time following a foul by the French midfielder on Harry Kane. With a minute left, Luis Diaz delivered a decisive blow with his 24th goal of the season. The former Liverpool forward played a one-two with Jamal Musiala before sending a curling strike into the top corner via a slight deflection. After losing the first leg 2-1, Real led three times at the Allianz Arena with Arda Guler scoring twice, but Kane netted his 50th goal of the campaign as Bayern Munich responded each time. They ensured there was to be no comeback from the 15-time European champions when Michael Olise curled in a fourth in added time to seal a memorable 4-3 win on the night and 6-4 success on aggregate. Craig Nelson BBC Sport reporter Bayern Munich and Paris St-Germain, who meet in the other semi-final, will also have their focus firmly on Budapest. Bayern made it through following a truly remarkable 4-3 win over Real Madrid in their quarter-final second leg on Wednesday night, whic secured a 6-4 win on aggregate. Reaction to that game is coming up. .. Champions League That date on 30 May remains TBC. .. This season's Champions League final will be held at the 67, 000-capacity Puskas Arena in Budapest, Hungary, on Saturday, 30 May. Uefa's showpiece match is six days after the final round of Premier League matches (Sunday, 24 May) and 12 days before the opening game of the 2026 World Cup finals. Premier League unless stated, kick-off times in BST Arsenal So Arsenal now know their final fixtures up to the end of the Premier League season, although dates and times of the penultimate round of league matches are still to be confirmed for TV purposes. Here is the Gunners run-in: Click 'Get Involved' at the top of the page A perfect storm has hit Arsenal. Injuries to key players, set pieces being worked out, increasing pressure, and Man City improving every game, Sunday is pivotal to their season. Chris, Tilbury Henry got it right last night. When you talk like that you need to back it up. Can't say "FIRE" and then play like you are the underdogs. If they play like this against City THEY ARE DONE. Junaied, Dewsbury Arsenal 0-0 Sporting (1-0 on agg) Alex Howell BBC Sport Arsenal reporter Now this game is out of the way, Arsenal's focus moves to what could be a title-defining game against Manchester City at Etihad Stadium on Sunday. The Gunners are hoping to win their first title in 22 years and are six points clear but have played one more game than Pep Guardiola's side. There is concern that without their attack firing, Arsenal will have to rely on their defensive excellence to get a positive result. Click 'Get Involved' at the top of the page Rice is right when he says ignore the outside noise, but what might serve them well is for them to think about the unthinkable themselves for a moment. Use that as fuel for the fight. As well as the fact that most people are now writing off their chances. Peter, Colchester Rice’s words don’t sound overly confident or defiant. It shows they are rattled by outside criticism and feel the need to defend it. Noah, Bedford I am glad Rice said "like being at any other top club, there's noise with everything". Because recently there's been this idea that Arsenal are unfairly targeted because no one likes them. It's actually because they're the leaders, City had it, Liverpool had it too. It's part of having success. Harry, Manchester Arsenal 0-0 Sporting (1-0 on agg) Chris Sutton Former striker on BBC Radio 5 Live People will forget this game if Arsenal go on to win the Champions League. Are Arsenal fans going to care about this game? I think not. Arsenal 0-0 Sporting (1-0 on agg) This current Arsenal side has tried to blend creative flair with a more pragmatic approach, after coming up short in previous seasons. They have kept eight clean sheets in 12 Champions League matches this campaign and have reached a second successive semi-final. But the attacking statistics for both sides on Wednesday night show just how little goalmouth action there was. Possession was even, but neither side were able to create chances. This suited Arsenal, of course, as they held a one-goal advantage going into the second leg. The onus was on Sporting to attack, but the Gunners' approach meant that they did not commit enough men going forward to be able to pick off the visitors in transition. Mikel Arteta's side even struggled to exert their usual dominance from set-pieces: Craig Nelson BBC Sport reporter Beauty is in the eye of the beholder though, Chris. Arsene Wenger shaped Arsenal's recent history, turning the Gunners into a team famed for their attacking flair, but in his latter years at the club a soft under belly. Before Wenger, the Gunners won titles and silverware under previous boss George Graham with a much more defensive approach, built on a solid back four. .. Click 'Get Involved' at the top of the page It’s obviously going to be PSG or Bayern to win it. Arsenal can count themselves lucky they have half a chance of getting to the final because they have Atletico. And it is only half a chance. Bob Has there ever been such a contrast between two semi-final ties? One match full of attacking flair that I can’t wait to see. The other a snore fest of time-wasting, defence first football that I won’t even watch. Chris, Manchester Arsenal 0-0 Sporting (1-0 on agg) Arsenal As Chris Sutton said, Arsenal may well be criticised for their lack of adventure and attacking thrust against Sporting. Their approach ensured a nervy finish for their supporters, and Mikel Arteta's puff of his cheeks as he went to shake hands with opposition manager Rui Borges at the final whistle told its own story. But the stats - and the end result - show that the Gunners' safety-first approach was effective, if not easy to watch. .. for anyone. Arsenal only had one shot on target against Sporting and the combined x G of both sides in Wednesday's match was 0. 93 (0. 64 Arsenal, 0. 29 Sporting) - the lowest of any Champions League game in 2025-26. That is also the lowest in any quarter-final match in the competition since Barcelona v Manchester United in April 2019 (0. 68). Click 'Get Involved' at the top of the page I predict Arsenal v Atletico will break the record for least time the ball is actually in play. Harry, Maidstone Arsenal looked tired and didn't have a Plan B. I think the physicality of Atletico Madrid might be troubling for them. Marvin, London Arsenal 0-0 Sporting (1-0 on agg) Chris Sutton Former striker on Football Daily We know what's going to happen. We know what the narrative will be. People will rip Arsenal to shreds for the way they attacked [Sporting], or you could say didn't attack. But towards the end of the game it is about seeing it through and why should they go gung-ho? The objective was all about going through and about finding a way. It really wasn't perfect by any means, but out of possession and defensively they do a lot right. Craig Nelson BBC Sport reporter It's a good argument - when it comes to the business end of the season would you rather be supporting a free-scoring team or the one with the meanest defence? Paris St-Germain swept Inter Milan aside last season to win a first Champions League title. They come up against another free-scoring side in Bayern Munich in the semi-final this year. Could it be that the team with the best defence wins through that one? While Mikel Arteta's Arsenal face Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid in the other semi-final. Both managers are considered to be "mentality monsters". If match-ups are measured in grit and determination at this stage of the season, could Arsenal or Atletico have what it takes to bring down Bayern or PSG in the final? Click 'Get Involved' at the top of the page My only worry for Arsenal now is their goalscoring. Not to be a doomsayer but I don't see them getting 3 goals against Bayern Munich again if they have to. The attackers need to wake up, with the opponents left in this competition, goals will beat out defence. Harry, Manchester Everything I can cross, is crossed that we have Timber, Saka, Odegaard and Calafiori back for the semi finals! Jaycee, London Arsenal 0-0 Sporting (1-0 on agg) Arsenal Arsenal forward Gabriel Martinelli, speaking to TNT Sports on how the dressing room is feeling: "Yeah, everyone is just buzzing in the dressing room. Two times in a row in the semi-finals of the Champions League. Everyone is happy. I think we deserve that. We've been playing well and we deserve that. Now, just enjoy tonight and we have a big one on Sunday as well. "When we play in the Champions League it is always tough. There is not one single team that is not strong. We knew they would come to try to score. The way they play they are a really good. We did well and we didn't concede. We didn't score as well but we take the draw and we are through. " On playing Atletico Madrid in the semi-final: "We played them in the group stage but this will be a completely different game. We have to earn the right, we have to do things right in the game as well. Let's keep it up and try to win both games. " On dealing with the pressure: "When you play for Arsenal you have to know how to deal with the pressure. We really like the pressure as well. We play for Arsenal, we are used to it. It's a semi-final and fighting for the Premier League. Let's enjoy tonight and see on the weekend. " Craig Nelson BBC Sport reporter From the outside looking in, as John Murray said, it looks looks like Arsenal are feeling the pressure. It's not that they haven't been here before - they have. Last season Arsenal reached the Champions League semi-finals and challenged for the Premier League title. But they lost to eventual European champions Paris St-Germain in the last four of the Champions League and their tilt at the league title faltered as they finished runners-up for a third consecutive season. Yet Gunners winger Gabriel Martinelli is adamant that the players "really like pressure". .. Arsenal 0-0 Sporting (1-0 on agg) BBC 5 Live Breakfast Football correspondent John Murray speaking on BBC 5 Live Breakfast after Arsenal reached the Champions League semi-finals: "It's an epic week, you can't get away from that. Every Arsenal fan would like to see their team doing this in style. That is not the reality. Look at the talent and money in the squad, but you have to put it into context. You can feel the pressure sitting in the Emirates. It feels like they are just a whisker away. They're so close to everything going up in smoke, but they've never done it before, they've never won the Champions League, they have not won the Premier League for 22 years, that's why there is this pressure. " Arsenal 0-0 Sporting (1-0 on agg) Arsenal Should Arsenal fans be worried about their side's apparent struggles in front of goal? Since firing in four at rivals Tottenham on 22 February, the Gunners have failed to score more than two goals in any of their subsequent 11 matches in all competitions. During that run they have scored 13 goals in total - 0n four occasions they managed two goals, scored a single goal in five matches and failed to register a goal in just two matches. Arsenal drew a blank in their disappointing 2-0 defeat to Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final, and again in Wednesday's goalless draw against Sporting. This barren spell in front of goal has cost Mikel Arteta's side in both domestic cup competitions, scuppering their hopes of a quadruple. But they continue to lead the Premier League by six points and have reached the semi-finals of the Champions League? Could "one-nil to the Arsenal" be enough to see them home this season? Arsenal's last 11 games: Copyright © 2026 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.


