Never seen before: Saka has just one wish after Arsenal reaches the UEFA Champions League final.
On 6 May 2026, Bukayo Saka, Arsenal player and captain for the match, shared his thoughts after Arsenal's 1-0 home win over Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Champions League 2025-26 semi-final second leg.
With a 2-1 aggregate over two legs, Arsenal advanced to the UEFA Champions League final for the first time in 20 years, aiming for their first title after finishing runners-up in the 2005-06 season, losing 1-2 to Barcelona in the final.
Bukayo Saka, who scored the decisive goal in the 44th minute, admitted that the lively support from the "Gunners" fans—from before kickoff through the celebration of reaching the UCL final—was something he had never experienced before, having risen through the club’s academy since 2008 and joining the senior team in 2018.
The Arsenal hero said, "It was beautiful. You could see how much it meant to us and to the fans. Yes, we're very happy, but it's easier said than done to make it a reality."
"This was a very intense game. It meant a lot to both sides. We managed it well and earned our place in the final. It started even before the game, as we were arriving by bus—I have never seen anything like this before."
Bukayo Saka concluded with one wish for the UEFA Champions League final: "It's a beautiful story, and I hope it ends well in Budapest."
Arsenal will compete for the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League title in the final on 30 May, facing the winner of the match tonight between Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain, which kicks off at 02:00 (first leg PSG won 5-4).