Arsenal had a golden opportunity to extend their lead against Real Madrid in their Champions League quarter-final tie, but Bukayo Saka`s penalty was saved by goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. Coming into the second leg with a 3-0 aggregate advantage, Arsenal felt confident, having shown strong defensive form recently.
The chance arose in the 10th minute after VAR intervened. Real Madrid defender Raul Asencio was judged to have illegally impeded Arsenal`s Mikel Merino in the box, resulting in a penalty for the Gunners. Saka stepped up to take it after Martin Odegaard protected the ball.
Despite Saka`s impressive penalty record of 13 goals with only one previous miss, he opted for a chipped penalty attempt this time, which Courtois comfortably saved. This miss is a significant moment for Saka, reminiscent of his penalty miss in the Euro 2020 final shootout. While he did convert a penalty in the Euro 2024 quarter-final, high-stakes misses like this carry weight.
Shortly after, Real Madrid pushed forward and appealed for a penalty of their own. Declan Rice was initially yellow-carded for a foul on Kylian Mbappe in the penalty area. However, following a lengthy VAR review, the decision was overturned, the penalty was rescinded, and Rice`s yellow card was revoked. Rice would face suspension in Arsenal`s next Champions League match if he receives another yellow card and Arsenal progresses – a possibility that grows stronger with each minute Madrid fails to score.
The match is finely balanced, and much remains to be played to decide who will face Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-finals, starting on April 28th.
