Bukayo Saka was caught up in a heated confrontation with Real Madrid’s Dani Carvajal at half-time, with local police stepping in to manage the situation.
The first half at the Bernabeu ended goalless despite an intense and dramatic 45 minutes. Saka missed a penalty after attempting a Panenka, and VAR denied Real Madrid a spot-kick following a lengthy review by referee Francois Letexier, after which UEFA issued a statement.
As players headed to the tunnel, tensions flared when Saka clashed with Carvajal — who wasn’t even playing due to injury.
Footage shows Carvajal approaching Saka, speaking to him, and placing a hand on him, which visibly irritated the Arsenal winger. Arsenal staff quickly stepped in to calm things down, and local police were also seen at the scene. Ben White, on the bench, confronted Carvajal in Saka’s defense.
It’s believed Carvajal was trying to rattle Saka ahead of the second half, especially after the young forward saw his early penalty saved by Thibaut Courtois.
Saka will be hoping his miss doesn’t come back to haunt Arsenal, as pundits weighed in on his decision-making. On TNT Sports, Martin Keown said: “Bukayo Saka got it all wrong. That was a huge chance to seal the tie.”
Former Arsenal defender Matthew Upson also critiqued the penalty on BBC Radio 5 Live, saying: “Arsenal looked business-like in that first half—well organized and composed. They handled pressure well and created chances. They should be 1-0 up. I don’t quite understand Saka’s penalty choice, but they’ll still be pleased with the 0-0 scoreline going into the second half.”
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