Bukayo Saka edges Arsenal past Atlético Madrid to reach Champions League final

Everything that Arsenal had poured into a hugely impressive Champions League campaign came down to this.

It was not about more plaudits, more pride.

It was purely about taking the next step, moving to the verge of history.

On an increasingly frenzied night, when the ghosts of previous near misses under Mikel Arteta provided a part of the story, they made surely the boldest advance so far under their manager.

It is the prospect of what comes next in the final against Paris Saint-Germain or Bayern Munich that tantalises.

It was a night when Arteta struggled to keep a lid on his emotions.

Ditto his Atlético Madrid counterpart, Diego Simeone.

But it only made the final whistle sound more beautiful for everybody with Arsenal in their hearts.