The race for the UEFA Champions League trophy is tighter than ever following Arsenal’s emphatic victory over Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu.
With four teams left in the competition, none of the clubs has a dominant chance of winning, pointing to a dramatic finish ahead.
After eliminating 15-time champions Real Madrid 5-1 on aggregate, Arsenal now lead the prediction table with a 28.7% chance of winning the title, according to Opta's supercomputer.
But the gap is razor-thin as Inter Milan are close behind at 25.5%, followed by Paris Saint-Germain (24.0%) and Barcelona (21.8%).
With the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League quarter-finals done and dusted, we're now left with the final four teams.
— Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) April 16, 2025
Who will win the competition? Here's what the Opta supercomputer thinks after tonight...
The supercomputer's projections suggest that the upcoming semi-final matchups could go either way although Arsenal supporters are feeling ecstatic about their chances of winning the competition this season.
Arsenal’s historic win sends a message
Bukayo Saka missed a Panenka-style penalty in the first half of the second leg at the Bernabeu, but the young English star bounced back.
In the 65th minute, the Hale End academy product produced a composed finish to extend Arsenal’s aggregate lead to 4-0, Sky Sports reports.
Real Madrid briefly reignited hope through Vinicius Junior, who capitalised on a defensive error from William Saliba, but Gabriel Martinelli sealed the game in stoppage time with a cool breakaway goal.
This victory marks Arsenal’s second win at the Bernabeu, making them the only English side to achieve that feat.
Arsenal beat Real Madrid home AND away to reach their first UCL semifinal since 2009 🤯👏 pic.twitter.com/5AxsfQjwnv
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) April 16, 2025
The Gunners also extended their unbeaten European run to eight matches, their longest streak since their memorable run to the final in 2006.
Semi-Final fixtures set the stage for drama
With the quarter-finals complete, the Champions League semi-finals promise fireworks.
Arsenal are set to face Paris Saint-Germain, who narrowly edged Aston Villa, while Inter Milan will square off with Barcelona, who saw off Bayern Munich in their quarter-final showdown.
The supercomputer's projections suggest a level playing field, with all four remaining clubs having nearly equal chances of lifting the trophy.
With such evenly matched teams, fans are in for one of the most unpredictable and thrilling ends to a Champions League season in recent memory.
