2025-26 UCL Semi-Finals: First Leg – Atletico Madrid vs Arsenal

Atletico Madrid face Arsenal in the first leg of their 2025-26 UEFA Champions League semi-final. 

Atletico Madrid saw off Barcelona in the Quarter-Finals to qualify for this semi-final tie, whilst Arsenal scraped past Sporting Lisbon to book their place in this round.

 

Team News

Pablo Barrios is ruled out for Atletico Madrid after he suffered a thigh injury during their 3-2 La Liga victory at home to Athletic Bilbao.

Ademola Lookman (knock), David Hancko (ankle), Alexander Sorloth (cramp) and Jose Maria Gimenez (fitness) face late fitness checks.

Arsenal will be without Kai Havertz after he suffered a thigh injury during their 1-0 Premier League win at home to Newcastle.

Martin Zubimendi (illness), Eberechi Eze and Riccardo Calafiori (both knock) could return but Jurrien Timber (ankle) and Mikel Merino (foot) remains absent.

 

When is Kick-Off?

Atletico Madrid host Arsenal at Metropolitano Stadium on Wednesday 29 April at 9pm CEST (8pm BST), live on TNT Sports 1 in the UK.

 

Stat Attack

• Atletico Madrid lost 4-0 in their only previous Champions League meeting against Arsenal in October 2025, which came away from home in the League Phase.
• Arsenal are making their first Champions League visit to Atletico’s Metropolitano Stadium.
• Atletico have kept one clean sheet in the knockout stages of this season’s competition (W3, D1, L2).
• Arsenal have conceded one goal in the knockout stages of this season’s Champions League (W2, D2).

 

Prediction

With just one clean sheet in the knockout stage but having recorded strong aggregate wins over Tottenham and Barcelona in the last two rounds, Atletico have to view this as a free hit given that they are almost guaranteed another top-four domestic finish and just bring their attacking flair.

Arsenal meanwhile certainly could of not done with losing Havertz given his importance to the team in attack but they were clinical against Newcastle in a pretty see-saw game, which saw both teams have fair periods of dominance but they now need to focus and produce another robust display.

Atletico though won’t roll over like they did in North London last autumn so I seriously expect them to test Arsenal much harder, but I do think that the Gunners will grind out a draw and finish the job at home in the second leg.

Prediction: Atletico Madrid 1-1 Arsenal