Good evening, folks. Welcome along to our liveblog for tonight’s Europa League semi-final second leg between Atletico Madrid and Arsenal.
The tie is delicately poised at 1-1 from last week’s first leg in London, but it’s Atletico who hold the upper hand thanks to the away goal.
The winners will advance to the final against Salzburg or Marseille in Lyon on 16 May. Marseille take a 2-0 lead into tonight’s second leg in Austria.
Kick-off tonight in Madrid is at 8.05pm.
Here’s the Atletico Madrid team for tonight, with Antoine Griezmann and Diego Costa leading the line.
🏧👥 | ALINEACIÓN
— Atlético de Madrid (@Atleti) May 3, 2018
¡Aquí tenéis los 1⃣1⃣ ATLÉTICOS que defenderán hoy nuestros colores de inicio!
🔴⚪🔴 ¡Yo te quiero, Atleti!#AúpaAtleti #AtletiArsenal #UEL pic.twitter.com/IZDCorM3Wx
And here’s the side Arsene Wenger has selected…
📋 Our team to face @Atleti in tonight’s @EuropaLeague semi-final#ATLvAFC pic.twitter.com/XGfg5zyGQ8
— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) May 3, 2018
Less than 10 minutes to kick-off. Let us know your predictions in the comments section below.
Here come the teams…
And it’s underway.
Vitolo wins an early corner for Atletico.
Ospina eventually punches clear, despite some confusion with Koscielny.
All the early pressure being applied by the hosts but no major questions being posed of Arsenal’s defence so far.
Lacazette sends in a brilliant cross for Arsenal but Partey makes a vital intervention. Ozil’s corner is then cleared.
Chance! Diego Costa shoves Nacho Monreal off the ball but he blazes his effort wide from an admittedly narrow angle.
Laurent Koscielny is down and the Arsenal skipper looks to be in trouble.
There was no contact on Koscielny. As he backtracked his leg appeared to buckle in the turf. The medics are on. His night is over unfortunately.
It looks like Calum Chambers will come in. This is a big blow for Arsenal. Koscielny still being attended to.
Koscielny is stretchered off and in comes 23-year-old Calum Chambers.
The game has resumed.
Free for Atletico wide on the right but Arsenal clear the danger.
Patient build-up play from the Spaniards as they aim to breach Arsenal’s defence.
Chance! Monreal pulls the ball back for Lacazette in the box but the pass is too heavy. Arsenal should have done better there.
Atletico boss Diego Simeone is watching from the posh seats after being dismissed last week at the Emirates…
Arsenal beginning to see more of the ball now. Ramsey looks to play in Bellerin down the right but his pass is just a little too long.
Arsenal get into a good area again but the final ball, this time from Bellerin, lets them down.
A rare chance on the ball for Griezmann but his attempt to release Costa is sloppy and Arsenal clear their lines.
Griezmann has somehow managed to sustain what looks like a sizeable gash to the back of his head so he’s going off for treatment as Arsenal come forward.
Costa attempts to get the ball under control in the box but Chambers makes an important clearance.
The cut to the back of Griezmann’s head was caused by an accidental elbow from Chambers.
Concern earlier for Koscielny before he went off…
Chance! Good play in the box from Lacazette and Ozil but neither of them can get a shot off. The home fans are getting edgy. Decent from Arsenal so far.
Lucas Hernandez’s throw into the box causes problems for Arsenal and Xhaka is forced to concede a corner.
Partey brings a save from Ospina with a brilliant volley but Atletico had already been penalised forma foul by Godin on Mustafi.
Wilshere tries to play in Monreal but his touch just brings the ball away towards Oblak in the Atletico goal.
Ten minutes to the break. Arsene Wenger will be satisfied thus far with how his team have performed. A goal is essential, however.
Chance! Free for Atletico in a dangerous position, it falls to Koke, but his left-footed volley sails just wide.
Chance! Another free, this time taken by Koke, finds Griezmann, whose excellent effort is inches off target. A let-off for Arsenal.
Chance! Costa tees up Vitolo on the edge of the box but Arsenal manage to scramble it clear. Nervy period for the visitors.
Rafael Nadal watches on…
Jack Wilshere gets a yellow card for a late challenge on Gabi. Looked a bit harsh.
Monreal attempts to send in a cross for Arsenal but he’s dispossessed.
Ramsey does well to win possession in midfield but his ambitious through-ball for Lacazette is cut out.
Atletico break and win a corner.
Three minutes to be added on.
Koke’s delivery falls to Gabi just outside the box but his shot can’t make it through a sea of Arsenal bodies.
GOAL! Atletico Madrid 1 Arsenal 0 (Diego Costa, 45)
Griezmann releases Costa and the former Chelsea striker holds off Bellerin before finishing emphatically in the second minute of additional time at the end of the first half.
Half-time: Atletico Madrid 1 Arsenal 0 (Atletico lead 2-1 on aggregate)
Disappointing end to a mostly positive first half for Arsenal. Having said that, they needed a goal anyway. An equaliser would level the tie and send it to penalties.
Shay Given in the Eir Sport studio reckons it looks like an achilles injury for Koscielny, which would probably rule him out of the World Cup. Very unfortunate for the French defender.
The second half is underway.
Monreal sends in a cross but it’s way over the head of Lacazette.
Griezmann wins a corner for Atletico at Mustafi’s expense. The delivery finds Costa unmarked but his header is saved comfortably by Ospina.
Good interchange of passes between Griezmann and Costa but Xhaka intervenes.
Koke tries his luck from just outside the box but it sails harmlessly wide.
Good link-up play between Lacazette and Welbeck but it’s cynically halted by Gabi, whose name goes in the book as a result.
Chance! Wilshere’s shot falls to Ramsey in the box but he can’t get a shot away.
Chance! Costa was set to double Atletico’s lead from close range but a crucial tackle by Chambers denies him.
Arsenal having more joy in the final third now but it’s so hard to break down such a well-drilled Atletico defence.
Atletico break and Monreal brings Griezmann down just outside the box. Free-kick.
Griezmann takes it himself, it’s a fine effort, but he drags it just wide.
Ozil gets in behind, squares it but Godin makes a vital block.
Ozil gets in again but Welbeck can’t get his head on the German’s drilled cross from the left.
Chance! Xhaka has a go from distance and Oblak has to make an excellent save.
From the resultant corner, Mustafi can only head the ball over.
Costa charges forward but Monreal blocks his shot.
Nice build-up play by Atletico but Bellerin gets it clear.
The game is starting to open up a little bit now.
Chance! Costa tees up Griezmann but Chambers makes a crucial block to take the sting out of the close-range shot, allowing Ospina to collect.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan replaces Jack Wilshere for Arsenal.
Costa is breathing heavily now but he’s been brilliant for Atletico. “Unplayable” says Keith Andrews.
Lacazette wins a corner for Arsenal.
Chance! The ball eventually finds its way to Mkhitaryan, whose volley goes inches over.
Drama in the other semi-final, where Salzburg now lead Marseille 2-0 on the night. It’s 2-2 on aggregate.
Monreal heads the ball across the face of goal but Gimenez gets it way for Atletico.
Chance! Griezmann finds his way through but Xhaka makes a brilliant recovery tackle.
13 minutes remain. At the moment it looks like this will be Arsene Wenger’s final European game in charge of Arsenal…
Costa booked for throwing the ball away and then jostling with Mustafi as Arsenal tried to take a free-kick.
Substitute Correa gets in a cross but Chambers heads clear. Arsenal need a goal but the game is being played in their half at the moment.
Xhaka crosses for Ramsey but he’s dispossessed by Partey.
Costa has a go from just outside the box but it’s straight at Ospina.
Costa is now down with cramp and the ball has been put into touch.
Costa makes way for Fernando Torres, who receives a huge ovation from the home fans.
Koke and Griezmann exchange passes in the box but it comes to nothing.
Arsenal break, Monreal finds space on the left but his cross is shocking. A waste of a chance.
Four minutes of normal time remaining and Arsenal don’t look like finding a way through here.
Griezmann wins a corner. Arsenal pinned into their own third in these closing stages. Frustrating for the Gunners.
Chance! Torres has a great chance but Ospina saves.
Lacazette and Welbeck swap passes but it’s quickly cleared on the edge of the box.
Ramsey crosses from the left but it’s hacked away by Gimenez.
Three additional minutes to be played.
Another chance for Monreal to cross but again he makes a mess of it.
Full-time: Atletico Madrid 1 Arsenal 0 (Atletico win 2-1 on aggregate)
Disappointment for Arsene Wenger and Arsenal as Atletico deservedly advance to the Europa League final.
