Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid: Bukayo Saka robs Ademola Lookman a place in UCL history

• Bukayo Saka's 44th-minute rebound sent Arsenal to the Champions League final, their second ever, with a 2-1 aggregate win.

• Ademola Lookman was completely neutralised, zero shots, zero chances created and was subbed off after 57 minutes.

• Had Atletico advanced, Lookman could have become only the fourth Nigerian man to play in a UCL final, joining Finidi, Kanu and Mikel.

Bukayo Saka tapped home a 44th-minute rebound at the Emirates on Tuesday to send Arsenal into the Champions League final and in doing so, ended Ademola Lookman's dream of becoming the latest Nigerian superstar to grace the biggest club night in football.

One Nigerian blood made history. Another was left to watch it happen from the bench.

The tie was already finely balanced after a 1-1 draw at the Wanda Metropolitano in the first leg.

The Emirates was tense, tactical and tight, Atletico sitting deep, Arsenal patient, neither side willing to give the other a sniff.

Atletico had fleeting moments on the counter. Declan Rice produced a phenomenal last-ditch tackle to deny Giuliano Simeone a clear run at goal, one of the tackles of the season in any competition.

Then, just before the break, Arsenal found the moment that decided everything. Viktor Gyokeres worked the ball to Leandro Trossard, whose shot was parried by Jan Oblak and Saka was perfectly positioned to tap the rebound home.

The second half brought Atletico pressure but no real cutting edge. Diego Simeone threw on three substitutes at once, among them Lookman, who had already been replaced at the 57-minute mark, in a desperate attempt to salvage the tie. It never came.

Had Atletico survived, Lookman, the former African Player of the Year, would have had the chance to join a very exclusive group.

Here is every Nigerian who has reached and won the Champions League final.

• Finidi George & Nwankwo Kanu - Ajax, 1995

Beat AC Milan 1-0 in Vienna. Two Nigerian starters in the same winning final side.

• John Obi Mikel - Chelsea, 2012

Beat Bayern Munich on penalties in Munich. Nigeria's most recent UCL winner.

• Asisat Oshoala - Barcelona (Women's) 2021 & 2023

Two Champions League titles with Barca, the most decorated Nigerian in UCL history. Women's Double Winner

He was inches away from joining this list until a Nigerian teammate at international level shut the door.

Arsenal now prepare for the Champions League final, only the second time in the club's history they have reached the showpiece occasion.

The Gunners will face whoever emerges from the other semi-final, with Saka expected to be central to Arteta's plans.

For Lookman, the summer brings the Super Eagles and a chance to reset. His league form for Atletico this season has been exceptional but Tuesday was a reminder that football, as ever, offers no sympathy for the narrowest of margins.