Arsenal and Atletico are playing a very different semi-final, but one no less compelling

Arsenal's players celebrate after Viktor Gyokeres scores their goal at Atletico Madrid from the penalty spot Angel Martinez/Getty Images Share articleAfter the goalfest, the grind. After the symphony, the street fight. Paris Saint-Germain’s 5-4 win over Bayern Munich on Tuesday had been one type of Champions League semi-final. This was another entirely. There was no nine-goal thriller here, only a game of three penalties: two converted, one controversially overturned. Arsenal emerged from the first leg in Madrid with a 1-1 draw. The drama here played out predominantly between the two technical areas, in front of VAR monitors and in fractious exchanges in the tunnel. It was a game the outcome of which was determined by the narrowest of margins — one fitting for a contest between Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta and Atletico Madrid’s Diego Simeone, two managers renowned for favouring structure over flamboyance. This was precisely the match everyone anticipated. For all that, it was no less compelling: a pulsating encounter spiked with controversy. An engrossing 90 minutes leave the tie finely poised. With home advantage in the second leg, Arsenal will feel they are in a strong position to progress. It might have been better. Arteta could barely contain his anger over the late overturned penalty. Referee Danny Makkelie initially pointed to the spot when David Hancko appeared to trip Eberechi Eze. With Simeone protesting wildly on the sidelines, the video assistant prompted Makkelie to review the incident. It left Arteta asking “how the hell” the decision could be reversed. “There is no clear and obvious error,” argued the Arsenal manager. “And this changes the course of the game. And at this level, I’m sorry, but this cannot happen.” The previous two penalties were fiercely contested too. Atletico felt Viktor Gyokeres made the most of contact to win Arsenal’s penalty shortly before half-time. Undeterred by their protests, Gyokeres dispatched his penalty with brutal precision. Arsenal were equally frustrated when Ben White was penalised for a handball inside the penalty area. The ball ricocheted onto White’s hand. While the Premier League tends to be more lenient in such incidents, UEFA’s definitions are rigid. “In the Premier League, it’s not a penalty,” explained Arteta. “But here I have to accept that with the rules and obviously how consistent they’ve been. What I’m incredibly fuming with is how the hell the penalty on Ebz (Eze) gets overturned in the manner that it happened when there is no clear and obvious error.” One of the joys of Tuesday night was watching the likes of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Michael Olise tormenting their opposing full-back. The most memorable duel in this game may have been the tussle in the tunnel between Ben White and Simeone, the Argentine manager seemingly affronted that the Arsenal defender had trodden on a decorative Atletico club crest. The tension between the two teams promises to light the fuse for a potentially explosive second leg. It was, as expected, an absorbing encounter from a tactical perspective. Arsenal weathered a fast start from the home side before controlling the first half. Declan Rice was used in a deeper role, charged with both instigating build-up and snuffing out counter-attacks. In the second half, Atletico were able to build some sustained momentum. They fought tenaciously for second balls, turning scraps into a series of good chances. There were flashes of individual quality too. Perhaps not quite the fireworks which lit up Paris the night before, but sparks. Noni Madueke burst infield and flashed a shot just past the post. William Saliba sashayed away from attackers with consummate ease. In the midst of Atletico’s second half surge, Antoine Griezmann curled a superb shot against the crossbar. Alvarez showed his class until being withdrawn in the 78th minute. Whatever the outcome of next week’s second legs, there is the prospect of an intriguing final. Either Bayern or PSG against Atleti or Arsenal would be a clear clash of styles — more than just a game, a battle of ideologies. For all the admiration of the game in Paris, one onlooker raised some concerns. Clarence Seedorf — who won four Champions Leagues with Ajax (1995), Real Madrid (1998) and AC Milan (2003, 2007) — was critical of the level of defending on show. “Clean sheets were always sacred for goalkeepers and we have seen a team like Arsenal making the difference this year having so many clean sheets and coming all the way,” Seedorf told Amazon Prime. “If I had to point out one team now that would be capable of bringing it home because of that capacity, it is actually Arsenal.” Should Arsenal reach Budapest, they will doubtless be characterised as their opponents’ antithesis. They will hope to be their antidote. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms