Arsenal Must Be At Their Best To Reach Champions League Final, Says Gyokeres

Viktor Gyokeres stressed Arsenal must reach top level at Emirates Stadium to eliminate Atletico Madrid, after a tense 1-1 draw in the Champions League semi-final first leg at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano left the tie finely balanced.

Arsenal came away with parity despite a patchy display and a match dominated by penalty decisions. Gyokeres scored from the spot following a foul by David Hancko, but Julian Alvarez replied with another penalty after Ben White handled, and Arsenal later saw a potential second spot-kick overturned by VAR.

That late incident sparked debate, as Eberechi Eze went down under Hancko's challenge, only for VAR to rule the contact minimal and cancel the on-field decision. Arsenal had already been struggling to dictate play

by then, with Atletico finding space and creating clearer chances during a strong second-half spell.

Across the 90 minutes Arsenal managed 11 attempts but hit the target only twice, with their expected goals measured at 1.5. That figure included Gyokeres' penalty, highlighting the lack of high-quality open-play chances created once Atletico adjusted after the interval and pushed higher up the pitch.

Atletico produced an expected goals value of 2.2, which ranked as the second-highest by any opponent against Arsenal in any competition this season. Only Aston Villa exceeded that total, recording 2.5 xG in the Premier League meeting between the sides in December, underlining the pressure Mikel Arteta's team faced.

Arsenal still extended an impressive unbeaten sequence in the European Cup and Champions League, matching their longest run in the competition's history. However, wider form has dipped, with only two victories from the last eight fixtures in all tournaments, alongside two draws and four defeats during that stretch.

Gyokeres accepted that context while insisting the squad must produce more in the second leg. "I think in the first half we controlled the game quite well, he told TNT Sports. We had a few good opportunities and managed to score. In the second half, they started much better and managed to get a goal and then, towards the end, we had a few okay chances. Overall, it was a tough game; it's a tough place to come, but it's only half-time. It was not easy once they scored. They have the crowd here. We tried to play and get that momentum back that we had in the first half. Towards the end, we did, but it was a tough second half. We know when we play at home with our fans, it's going to be different. We just have to do our job and be at our best. "

Atletico threatened a second goal on several occasions, with Antoine Griezmann striking the woodwork as Arsenal defended deep under pressure. Yet Arteta focused on the resilience shown and looked ahead with confidence to the return meeting in London, where Arsenal will aim to exploit home support and a familiar pitch.

Reflecting on the Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid Champions League semi-final stalemate, Arteta sounded upbeat about the team's position. "There are a lot of positives. A lot of very good things that we did, he told TNT Sports. We knew we would have tough moments. Their home record is once again [strong]. We are in an incredible position. We have to play in front of our people. It is in our hands. " With the tie level and crucial away work done, Arsenal now look towards a defining second leg against Atletico Madrid.