Arsenal equal 55-year club record after reaching Champions League final

Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid did more than send the club back to the Champions League final after two decades. It also helped Mikel Arteta’s team match one of the most significant all-time records in the club’s history.

Arsenal have equalled their all-time club record for the most wins in a single season across all competitions after beating Atletico Madrid 1-0 in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final. The result completed a 2-1 aggregate victory and sent the Gunners to the Champions League final for the first time since 2006.

Bukayo Saka scored the decisive goal just before half-time, reacting quickly after Jan Oblak saved Leandro Trossard’s shot. Atletico Madrid tried to respond after the break, but Arsenal’s defence again played a decisive role, with Mikel Arteta’s side keeping another clean sheet in a high-pressure European knockout match.

The victory was Arsenal’s 41st win of the season in all competitions. That figure matches the club record set in the 1970/71 campaign, when Bertie Mee led Arsenal to a historic First Division and FA Cup double. More than five decades later, Arteta’s team has now reached the same benchmark while still competing for major trophies.

The comparison with the 1970/71 side adds extra weight to the current season. Arsenal have not only returned to the Champions League final, but have also built one of the strongest campaigns in their modern history. According to AP, the club remains in contention for both its first European Cup title and a first Premier League crown in 22 years.

Arsenal will face Paris Saint-Germain in the final in Budapest on May 30 after PSG eliminated Bayern Munich 6-5 on aggregate. For the London club, the remaining weeks of the season could now define the Arteta era: one more win would allow Arsenal to set a new club record, while success in Europe would give the team the biggest continental trophy in its history.