Arsenal's Victory Over Real Madrid Marks Significant Statement, According To Bukayo Saka

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Arsenal's recent triumph over Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals has been hailed as a significant achievement by Bukayo Saka. The Gunners have reached the semi-finals for the third time, with previous appearances in 2005-06 and 2008-09. This marks their first return to this stage in 16 years. Saka missed an early penalty but later scored Arsenal's first goal in their 2-1 win at Santiago Bernabeu, securing a 5-1 aggregate victory.

Arsenal will now face Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) for a spot in the final, having previously lost to Barcelona in 2006. This is the 30th instance of an English team reaching the semi-finals, with only Spanish teams achieving this more often, at 38 times. Saka expressed pride in his team's performance, stating, "We showed that we can play in Europe and beat one of the best teams in the world, home and away."

Despite missing a Panenka-style penalty saved by Thibaut Courtois when the score was level at 0-0, Arsenal maintained control due to their 3-0 lead from the first leg. Saka has been directly involved in 15 goals across 16 Champions League matches for Arsenal, contributing nine goals and six assists. Reflecting on his missed penalty, Saka said, "It can happen. I tried something, but it didn't work."

Arsenal remains unbeaten against Real Madrid in European competitions with three wins and one draw. Only Lyon has a longer unbeaten streak against Los Blancos in this tournament's history. Looking ahead to facing PSG, who eliminated Liverpool and Aston Villa earlier, Saka noted their growing confidence and anticipated a challenging match at home for the first leg.

Mikel Arteta became the tenth Spanish manager to reach a Champions League semi-final. Only Italy has more managers achieving this feat with eleven. Arteta described defeating Real Madrid as one of his career highlights, expressing pride in his players' efforts. He acknowledged that anything could happen after just two or three minutes into such matches.

Arteta's Perspective on PSG

Arteta praised PSG as an incredible team currently on an impressive run. He mentioned knowing their manager well from his playing days at PSG and highlighted Arsenal's capability to compete against any team following their recent performance against Real Madrid.

The upcoming clash with PSG promises to be intense as both teams vie for a place in the final. Arsenal aims to build on their current momentum and continue showcasing their ability on Europe's grandest stage.