Arsenal secured their place in the Champions League quarter-finals with a 2-2 draw against PSV Eindhoven at the Emirates Stadium, completing a resounding 9-3 aggregate victory. The Gunners, holding a commanding 7-1 lead from the first leg, will face Real Madrid in the last eight.
With the tie effectively decided, manager Mikel Arteta made wholesale changes to his starting lineup. The match, played in front of a subdued atmosphere with numerous empty seats, lacked the intensity of a typical knockout fixture.
Oleksandr Zinchenko, one of three left-backs selected by Arteta, opened the scoring with a superb curling effort into the left corner, after receiving touch from Raheem Sterling.
However, Arsenal were unable to build on their lead, and the lack of jeopardy appeared to affect their performance. Former Tottenham winger Ivan Perisic equalized for PSV, expertly finishing from a Guus Til pass.
Myles Lewis-Skelly hit the post for Arsenal, but it was not enough.
Raheem Sterling dazzled with a run and cross, for Declan Rice to head home.
PSV, backed by a spirited away following, salvaged a draw when Couhaib Driouech chipped goalkeeper David Raya after receiving Isaac Babadi’s incisive pass.
Arteta’s Focus Shifts to Real Madrid Test
While the low-key nature of the performance may not have entirely pleased Arteta, the result secures Arsenal’s place in the quarter-finals for the second consecutive season, a feat they haven’t achieved since 2010. The Gunners were losing finalists in 2006 and last won the defunct cup, Cup Winner’s Cup in 1994.
With Arsenal trailing leaders Liverpool by 15 points in the Premier League, the Champions League represents their most realistic opportunity for silverware this season. Their next opponents, 15-time European Cup winners Real Madrid, managed by Carlo Ancelotti, will present a significantly sterner test than PSV.
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