'Always grateful to him' - Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta hails Pep Guardiola after booking Champions League semi-final spot and reveals he called Man City head coach ahead of second leg against Real Madrid

The Gunners headed to the Santiago Bernabéu with a commanding 3-0 advantage from the first leg, largely thanks to a set-piece masterclass from Declan Rice. The return fixture in the Spanish capital offered no shortage of drama. Arsenal endured an eventful first half that saw Bukayo Saka miss a golden opportunity from the penalty spot. Real Madrid, too, saw a spot-kick chance erased by a VAR review, leaving the teams locked at 0-0 by the break.

However, Saka redeemed himself in style after the restart, putting Arsenal ahead with a superb finish. Real Madrid quickly responded through Vinicius Junior, but it was Gabriel Martinelli who delivered the final blow in stoppage time, racing clear to seal a 2-1 win on the night and a resounding 5-1 aggregate victory.

Wednesday’s triumph marked one of the most memorable moments of Arteta’s tenure in charge of the north London club. It also confirmed Arsenal’s return to the Champions League semi-finals for the first time in 16 years, with their last appearance at that stage dating back to the 2008-09 campaign.

After the match, Arteta shared how he sought inspiration from the very man who first introduced him to elite-level coaching.

"I called him [Pep Guardiola] this morning [ahead of Real Madrid] because I think that if I'm here it's thanks to him to a great extent," the Arsenal boss admitted. "As a player and as a coach, he's been an inspiration for me, and he's the person who decided to bet on me, to include me as a second coach. I lived four amazing years with him [at Man City] and I have to be grateful, I'll always be grateful to him, otherwise I wouldn't be here."

Arteta spent four seasons alongside Guardiola at Manchester City, where the pair forged a strong professional partnership. During that time, they lifted two Premier League titles, an FA Cup, and a Community Shield, establishing City as one of the most dominant forces in English football.

With the semi-finals now on the horizon, Arteta’s men face Paris Saint-Germain, who edged Aston Villa 5-4 over two legs in their own quarter-final thriller. The semi-final showdown with PSG will begin at the Emirates on April 29, before the Gunners travel to the French capital for the return leg on May 7. Before turning their full focus to Europe, Arsenal will return to domestic action this weekend as a Premier League clash with Ipswich Town at Portman Road awaits them.