Real Madrid 1-2 (1-5 agg) Arsenal: Player ratings from Gunners' victory at the Bernabeu

Forwards

Gabriel Martinelli (LW) - 8/10 - He was battered and bruised during a mini slump against Brentford, but Martinelli showed his quality when it mattered in Europe. His familiar direct pace left Real's players hopelessly trailing a rapid counter deep into injury time.

Martinelli covered significant ground in an instant and maintained close control. When he neared Courtois, the Brazilian kept his cool and finished with the calmness that once marked Arsenal's No. 11 out as another star in the making.

Mikel Merino (ST) - 7/10 - Like Partey, Merino was a little rough around the edges. Yet the conversion project was also effective in the areas of the game Arteta needed him to influence.

Merino made enough of a nuisance of himself in the box to win the penalty Saka casually spurrned. Not to let an assist get away completely, Merino carried the ball with composure before sliding a nicely timed pass to help Martinelli seal a memorable night in the club's history. This was yeoman's work from Arsenal's striker in name only.

Bukayo Saka (RW) - 8/10 - Okay, so the lob from 12 yards was hopelessly out of place given the stakes, but Saka was still a cut above everyone else on the pitch. Had he completed the Panenka, he'd be hailed as an alpha star with nerves (and other bits) of steel.

The real credit is Saka's because he didn't let botching the spot-kick force him into his shell. Instead, he kept working every part of Real's back line and took his goal superbly after a clever and subtle run into a central area.

If the Gunners lift the trophy this season, it will be because Saka returned from his hamstring injury at the right time and proved as good as ever. That's enough to call him world class.

Substitutes

• Leandro Trossard - 5/10
• Oleksandr Zinchenko - N/A
• Kieran Tierney - N/A
• Ben White - N/A

Player of the match: Bukayo Saka

READ THE LATEST ARSENAL NEWS HERE!