Bukayo Saka’s first-half goal was enough to send Arsenal into their first Champions League final in 20 years with a 2-1 aggregate win over Atletico Madrid.
A tense, tetchy and tight tie went to the wire but Saka’s close-range finish was enough for Mikel Arteta’s men to book their place in Budapest.
They will face either holders PSG or Bayern Munich on 30 May.
The breakthrough came when right on half time Leandro Trossard made space for a low shot which Jan Oblak could only spill out into danger.
Saka, fit enough to start wide on the right, reacted sharply to fire in and put Arsenal 2-1 up on aggregate.
It was a lead they held on to with a relative level of comfort on a night which only saw four efforts on target combined.
Holders PSG knocked Arsenal out in last season’s semi-finals and could lie in wait again later this month -a week after they hope to have sealed a first Premier League title for 22 years.
Arsenal’s only previous Champions League final appearance was in 2006 when they lost to Barcelona.
Over the balance of the two legs, the Gunners just about shaded Atletico whose dangerous frontline were largely kept in check on a night of tension and then celebration in north London.
Declan Rice was excellent throughout while Viktor Gyokeres led the line in combative fashion. The Swede missed the best chance of the second half, firing over after a marvellous cross from substitute Piero Hincapie, as Arsenal largely played on the counter in the second 45 minutes.
Diego Simeone was looking to send Atletico to a third final under him but his decision to take off both Antoine Griezmann – in his final Champions League appearance – and Julian Alvarez in the 66th minute backfired.
The visitors offered little and only a flurry of late yellow cards added any spice to the evening.
Premier League finalists in the Champions League era
Manchester United: 1999, 2008, 2009, 2011
Liverpool: 2005, 2007, 2018, 2019, 2022
Arsenal: 2006, 2027
Chelsea: 2008, 2012, 2021
Tottenham: 2019
Man City: 2021, 2023
