Arsenal vs. Atletico Madrid: Head-to-head record and past meetings

Head-to-head record

Previous meetings: 3

Arsenal wins: 1

Draws: 1

Meeting in the Champions League for the first time in the 2025-26 season, Arsenal and Atletico Madrid's only previous competitive battles came in the semi-finals of the 2017-18 Europa League, which proved to be Arsene Wenger's final European hurrah.

The Frenchman's last bid to lead Arsenal to a major piece of continental silverware ended at the hands of Diego Simeone, whose men drew 1-1 at the Emirates in the first leg before advancing to the final with a 1-0 home win in the return fixture.

Following an hour of goalless action at the Emirates in the opening game, Alexandre Lacazette nodded in a Jack Wilshere cross to give the Gunners the lead, but Antoine Griezmann netted a pivotal equaliser for Atletico in the 82nd minute.

Reconvening at the Wanda Metropolitano a week later, Arsenal's hopes of a momentous Madrid win suffered a massive blow just 12 minutes in, as critical defender Laurent Koscielny sustained a severe Achilles injury that would rule him out of that year's World Cup triumph with France.

Atletico took full advantage, as Diego Costa - a perpetual nemesis of Arsenal's during his time with Chelsea - netted the game's only goal on the stroke of half time to seal a 2-1 aggregate win for the Spanish side, who would go on to defeat Marseille in the final.

However, Arsenal belatedly got a sweet slice of revenge seven years later, as thanks to a 13-minute masterclass, the Gunners destroyed Simeone's Atletico 4-0 in the league phase of the 2025-26 Champions League.

From 0-0 in the 56th minute to 4-0 in the 70th, Mikel Arteta's men annihilated their Spanish foes thanks to a Viktor Gyokeres double, a Gabriel Magalhaes header and a Gabriel Martinelli finish at the Emirates.

The result condemned Atletico to their joint-heaviest defeat in the Champions League, while Arsenal extended their record winning run against Spanish teams to a stellar seven matches.