Bukayo Saka urged Arsenal to ignore outside noise after sending the club into the Champions League final. Saka scored in the 44th minute of a 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid at Emirates Stadium. That strike completed a 2-1 aggregate victory and booked Arsenal’s first final since 2006.

Arsenal will meet either Paris Saint-Germain or Bayern Munich in Budapest later this month. At the same time, Arsenal hold a five-point lead over Manchester City in the Premier League. Three more victories will secure a first league title in 22 years, increasing scrutiny around every performance.

With that intense schedule, Saka accepted that pressure comes with Arsenal’s current position. Saka highlighted the importance of staying focused and not reacting to commentary. Saka also stressed how much the moment meant to players and supporters as celebrations unfolded around Emirates Stadium.

“It’s so beautiful. To see what it means to us, to the fansso happy,” Saka told Amazon Prime amid wild celebrations at the Emirates. “This game is a high-pressure game, we managed it well. There’sno way you can get to this position and not have pressure. We’re in the final of the Champions League and we’re going for the Premier Leaguehow can you not expect people to talk about you and criticise you. That’s why we have to block it out, focus on getting the job done and stepping forward. It’s a beautiful storylet’s hope it ends well in Budapest.”

Arsenal’s defensive strength again played a decisive role against Atletico Madrid. Arsenal have now recorded 30 clean sheets in all competitions this season. That is Arsenal’s highest total in a single campaign since 1993-94, when Arsenal also kept 30 clean sheets, and the most by a Premier League side since Liverpool’s 32 in 2021-22.

This victory also moved Arsenal level with a long-standing club record for wins. Arsenal now have 41 victories across all competitions this season, matching the total from the 1970-71 campaign. The result underlined consistent form in Europe and domestically during a demanding schedule.

Saka highlighted the influence of the Emirates crowd on a tense evening. “I’ve never seen anything like it,” Saka said. “They pushed us and pushed uswe got this moment at the end. It’s special.” The atmosphere stayed intense throughout, helping Arsenal protect the narrow lead.

Arsenal Champions League final return after long wait

Reaching Budapest ends a long gap between European Cup or Champions League finals for Arsenal. The 20-year interval is the longest between final appearances since Atletico’s 40-year gap before 2014. It is also the lengthiest wait for an English club since Liverpool reached the 2005 final after 20 years.

Attention now returns to the Premier League, where Arsenal still control the title race. Arsenal remain five points ahead of Manchester City, with three wins enough to secure the trophy. Next comes a crucial match against relegation-threatened West Ham, as Arsenal try to manage fatigue, pressure and expectations on two major fronts.