Arsenal are making unprecedented steps in the Champions League, so says Mikel Arteta, after his side reached the last four for a second straight season.
Sporting CP pushed Arteta's side all the way across two legs, with Arsenal progressing as 1-0 aggregate winners despite Wednesday's goalless draw at the Emirates Stadium.
Kai Havertz's stoppage-time winner in last week's first leg ultimately proved decisive as Arsenal rarely looked troubled in the return meeting, albeit while lacking an attacking threat.
Arsenal have now reached the Champions League semi-finals in back-to-back seasons – they had only made two previous European Cup/Champions League semi-finals before this (in 2005-06 and 2008-09).
Arteta pointed to that achievement at the full-time whistle, while his side will continue their Premier League title fight with a decisive meeting against Manchester City on Sunday.
"It's a massive moment. To be part of those four teams is great work," the Arsenal boss told TNT Sports.
"It's a great night. I'm very happy for all our people. We are making steps that haven't been done at this club for 140 years."
Atletico Madrid, who Arsenal beat 4-0 in the league phase at the Emirates back in October, await in the last four after Diego Simeone's team overcame Barcelona 3-2 on aggregate.
"We will have two magical nights, one in Madrid and one here," Arteta said later in his post-match press conference.
Back-to-back semi-finalists #UCL pic.twitter.com/pCTIblFQCC
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) April 15, 2026
Another two-legged tie of attrition may be expected when looking at the management styles of Simeone and Arteta, along with Arsenal's showing across their quarter-final meetings with Sporting.
At 1-0 on aggregate, Arsenal versus Sporting was the joint-lowest scoring two-legged quarter-final tie in the Champions League, and the lowest since Manchester City beat Atletico 1-0 on aggregate in 2021-22.
The Gunners' narrow progression also marked a response to a slump in their domestic form, having lost to Man City in the EFL Cup final, Southampton in the FA Cup last eight, and 2-1 against Bournemouth in the league.
Asked whether there was a sense of relief, Arteta fired back: "I wish that we were doing the Arsenal documentary this season, and you could watch the last 48 hours."
There will still be questions over the performance levels, given Arsenal only managed one shot on target in the second leg, though they did hit the post late on through Leandro Trossard's header.
In fact, with a combined expected goals figure of just 0.93 (0.64 xG for Arsenal, 0.29 for Sporting), the second leg had the lowest total in any Champions League game this season, and the lowest in any quarter-final match in the competition since Barcelona against Manchester United in April 2019 (0.68).
"I think we had many opportunities, we didn't score the goal," Arteta added.
"To do the things that are needed in the tie, to go and win titles, that is what will define these moments."