Viktor Gyokeres and Julian Alvarez's penalty kicks helped Atletico Madrid and Arsenal draw 1-1 in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League semi-final. After the spectacular performance of Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich the day before, the match at Metropolitano became more tense, which was not surprising.
Gyokeres put Arsenal ahead in the 44th minute from the penalty spot, after David Hancko fouled in the penalty area. Atletico rose up after halftime and Alvarez equalized in the 56th minute, also from the 11m spot, after the referee determined Ben White touched the ball with his hand.
Referee Danny Makkelie then awarded Arsenal another penalty at the end of the match, but reversed the decision after consulting VAR, determining that Hancko did not foul Eberechi Eze. This decision kept the match balanced before the second leg in London.
I accept that I cannot say anything about the penalties that have been awarded, but I can talk about Eze's case. How was the penalty cancelled in such a way? That is unacceptable at this level.
Referee tonight? I am extremely disappointed and angry. It is against the rules and I don't understand it. I am very sad, that is unacceptable" - Arteta complained.
In fact, there is hardly any match comparable to the 9-goal chase between PSG and Bayern 24 hours earlier. However, this is not a less attractive match, especially in the second half when Atletico played brightly after Alvarez's equalizer. However, in the end, there were only two goals from penalties, no goals from live balls.
The match had a total of 29 shots - more than 22 shots in Paris - but the quality of chances was lower. Arsenal had reason to be dissatisfied when they did not get a third penalty after Hancko's collision in the penalty area, even though the referee initially awarded a penalty. Both teams missed opportunities, and there are still doubts that a brighter championship contender could come from the other bracket.
In Atletico's squad, Alvarez is the most prominent factor. Not only is he a dangerous spearhead, he also participates in organizing the play and regulating the midfield. Right from the 13th minute, only David Raya's excellent save prevented him from opening the score.
The Argentine striker often retreated deep to assist in deploying the ball, sometimes making the attack lack players when only Antoine Griezmann and Ademola Lookman were above. In the second half, Alvarez's free kick almost became a goal when it went close to the post.
When he had a chance from the 11m spot, he did not make a mistake. This is Alvarez's 10th goal in the Champions League this season - Atletico's new record. In history, only Lionel Messi is another Argentine player to achieve two-digit goals in a Champions League season.
When Alvarez left the field in the 77th minute in a tired state, replaced by Alex Baena, Atletico's attacking power decreased significantly. This further shows his importance to the team, in the context of receiving attention from Arsenal, PSG and Barcelona.
On Arsenal's side, Mikel Arteta's team continued to show a pragmatic but effective playing style. The first half was their typical performance when playing away from home in Europe: control, discipline and taking advantage of opportunities.
Despite a period of loss of control after the equalizer, personnel adjustments with Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus and Leandro Trossard helped them regain the game. The Gunners currently have 13 unbeaten matches in the Champions League, equaling the club's record.
In the opposite direction, Atletico had reason to regret. They launched 18 shots, created 13 chances, with an xG index of up to 2.22 but only scored one goal from a penalty. The home team played well in their first semi-final appearance after 9 years. They were not inferior to the opponent, but lacked sharpness - a factor that coach Diego Simeone always emphasized.
The draw leaves everything open before the second leg at Emirates, where just a decisive moment can decide the ticket to the final.
The first half was quite balanced, perhaps they controlled the ball more, but they didn't create many chances. They had a very strong squad. When the reserve players came on, they played better than the starting squad. However, we still played better than them in the second half.
In the second half, they played a bit weaker, and we reorganized our play. We defended better and created more chances through Antoine Griezmann and Ademola Lookman" - Atletico's captain said.
