Arsenal raised a quarter-finals of the Champions League with Real Madrid as a 2-2 draw with PSV Eindhoven in the Emirates Stadium sealed a 9-3 general victory.
Arsenal was done to wait to learn the identity of their last eight opponent, but Real Madrid’s holders finally triumphed over Atletico Madrid to join them in the last eight.
Mikel Artesa took the opportunity to rotate after last week’s 7-1 win in the first game, naming a highly changed side which included Kieran Tierney on the left arm and Oleksandr Zinchenko in midfield.
Raheem Sterling was also given a rare start and put both arsenal goals on an attractive screen, first turning the ball around the corner for zinchenko, which finished excellently from outside the box for early opening, then producing a Pinpoint cross for Declan Rice to run their second home.
However, twice, the gunners returned again. Zinchenko’s opening goal was canceled by the former Tottenham Ivan Perisic player, who ended calmly when he entered the first half, with Couhaib Driuech flattening again when he raised a great conclusion to David Raya in the second period.
Raya made some other savings to keep out of the PSV, which seemed eager to try a point after their first foot humiliation, denying Driuech in the first half and twice removing shots from Isaac Babadi.
Arsenal also had other chances, two of which fell to Sterling, who was denied by PSV goalkeeper Walter Benitez when one in two separate cases, and the arm suffered further disappointments when he was shown a late yellow card which means he would be suspended.
Arsenal is 15 points behind the Liverpool leaders in the Premier League, leaving the Champions League as their last hope for silver, and will now have to overcome the winners 15 times Real Madrid to keep their dream of clinking the trophy.
Analysis: Sterling confidence returns to positive screen
This tie ended effectively after the first match, but it was still a big game for sterling. He needed a great performance after a shameful magic in which his faith appeared drained. He delivered it. That was, for a distance, his best appearance for Arsenal.
The winger had not scored or set a goal in his previous 13 appearances, but his confidence increased since he produced smart passing to leave his ex-man of his Manchester City squad, Zinchenko for space. He played with conviction and quality from then on.
Raheem Sterling had a one-in-one-one chance
His second aid came from an accurate cross after beating his man and had many more examples of smart touches, feints and rhythm outbursts. Not everything left, but at least he was trying. This was a significant improvement in the latest screens.
His evening ended with a low note as he was booked, meaning he will be suspended for his first quarter -final match, but there were no complaints from the arts. “The way he tracked when he was booked, this is the type of player we want to see,” he said.
In this test, and although he will have to sit that first foot, Sterling may still have a role to play for the last months of what has been, so far, a difficult credit spell.
