Arsenal vs. Atletico Madrid: Head-to-head record and past meetings before Champions League second leg

Arsenal lost the 2006 Champions League final, Atletico Madrid lost the 2016 Champions League final – one will try to avoid losing the 2026 Champions League final.

Mikel Arteta and Diego Simeone square up to one another yet again on Tuesday night, as the Gunners and the Rojiblancos contest the second leg of their UCL semi-final at the Emirates Stadium following a frenetic first encounter at the Metropolitano Stadium.

Viktor Gyokeres and Julian Alvarez both scored from the spot as Arsenal and Atletico settled for a 1-1 drawalthough the Premier League leaders were left infuriated when they had a second spot kick overturned after a VAR review.

Arsenal channelled that anger into a dominant performance during Saturday’s 3-0 win over Fulham, though, while a much-changed Atletico side bested Valencia 2-0 in a largely inconsequential La Liga match.

Here, Buzz takes a closer look at the head-to-head record and previous meetings between Arsenal and Atletico ahead of the return leg.

Head-to-head record

Previous meetings: 4

Arsenal wins: 1

Draws: 2

Atletico Madrid wins: 1

Meeting in the Champions League for the first time in the 2025-26 season, Arsenal and Atletico Madrid’s only previous competitive battles came in the semi-finals of the 2017-18 Europa League, which proved to be Arsene Wenger’s final European hurrah.

The Frenchman’s last bid to lead Arsenal to a major piece of continental silverware ended at the hands of Diego Simeone, whose men drew 1-1 at the Emirates in the first leg before advancing to the final with a 1-0 home win in the return fixture.

Following an hour of goalless action at the Emirates in the opening game, Alexandre Lacazette nodded in a Jack Wilshere cross to give the Gunners the lead, but Antoine Griezmann netted a pivotal equaliser for Atletico in the 82nd minute.

Reconvening at the Wanda Metropolitano a week later, Arsenal’s hopes of a momentous Madrid win suffered a massive blow just 12 minutes in, as critical defender Laurent Koscielny sustained a severe Achilles injury that would rule him out of that year’s World Cup triumph with France.

Atletico took full advantage, as Diego Costa – a perpetual nemesis of Arsenal’s during his time with Chelsea – netted the game’s only goal on the stroke of half time to seal a 2-1 aggregate win for the Spanish side, who would go on to defeat Marseille in the final.

However, Arsenal belatedly got a sweet slice of revenge seven years later, as thanks to a 13-minute masterclass, the Gunners destroyed Simeone’s Atletico 4-0 in the League Phase of the 2025-26 Champions League.

From 0-0 in the 56th minute to 4-0 in the 70th, Mikel Arteta’s men annihilated their Spanish foes thanks to a Viktor Gyokeres double, a Gabriel Magalhaes header and a Gabriel Martinelli finish at the Emirates.

The result condemned Atletico to their joint-heaviest defeat in the Champions League, while Arsenal extended their record winning run against Spanish teams to a stellar seven matches.

The pair then locked horns again in the semi-finals of the 2025-26 Champions League, with the first leg finishing 1-1 in Madrid; the second leg in London will take place on May 5.

Last four meetings

Apr 29, 2026: Atletico Madrid 1-1 Arsenal (Champions League Semi-Final First Leg)

Oct 21, 2025: Arsenal 4-0 Atletico Madrid (Champions League)

May 03, 2018: Atletico Madrid 1-0 Arsenal (Europa League)

Apr 26, 2018: Arsenal 1-1 Atletico Madrid (Europa League)