Arsenal 1-1 Atletico Madrid: 5 Talking Points

Despite starting off with immense attacking intent and asserting their dominance on the game through its 90 minutes, Arsenal could only manage a 1-1 draw against Atletico Madrid in the first leg of the Europa League semi-final at the Emirates Stadium on Thursday (April 26).

The visitors were down to ten men within the first 15 minutes of the game and the Gunners had taken charge from the very first whistle. However, they only have a draw to show from their effort on the day, and one, which would feel more like a defeat to their fans.

Here are five talking points from the game:

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#5 The double send-off

Sime Vrsaljko was sent off after falling to two back-to-back yellow card offences

The build-up to this tie of the European competition was as intense and exciting as it gets in world football today. Arsene Wenger's last chance at European glory with Arsenal, Atletico Madrid's injury concerns and a sense of redemption at the Emirates had all culminated in an electric atmosphere in the stadium on Thursday.

The early dismissal of Sime Vrsaliko, who was sent off after capitulating to two yellow cards within the first 11 minutes of the night. However, it was not his red card that will be discussed the most, with respect to big calls from the referee in this particular game.

Just a couple of minutes after the defender was sent fuming back to the Madrid dugout, his manager, Diego Simeone, was banned from the touchline for the remainder of the game. He wanted a yellow card for Hector Bellerin after his team won a free-kick in a position right in front of him. However, his wild gestures and words were too much for the referee to take, as he decided to penalize the Argentine for the same.

#4 Alexandre Lacazette continues to shine

The centre-forward opened the scoring in the 60th minute of the game

Since returning from a long injury hiatus, Alexandre Lacazette has been on fire for the Gunners. Against Atletico Madrid, it was his header from a cross from Jack Wilshere that put Arsenal in the lead and it came after long spells of possession and failed attempts on target from the hosts.

It was his third goal in three games, and if Arsenal wish to come out on top in Spain next week, a strong performance from him will be crucial to their success.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's decision of letting the Frenchman take the second penalty against Stoke City earlier this month is paying dividends even now, as Lacazette continues to grow in confidence and shine in every game.

#3 Tie-conserving masterclass from Jan Oblak

It was a riveting performance from the Madrid goalkeeper

On the Thursday night in London, Jan Oblak showed why he is considered one of the best goalkeepers in the world today. He put in a terrific shift against the Gunners, who were attacking through the length of the game and were looking to gnaw into his net like ravenous creatures.

However, the Slovenian international rose to the challenge and kept out all their attempts, bar one. His performance was important not just in terms of this match, but also for Atletico's campaign in the Europa League, as a whole.

Arsenal had multiple chances to bury the game in both halves of the games, but Oblak pulled off an absolute masterclass to keep his team in the tie and not let the Gunners take advantage of their one-man advantage over the visitors.

#4 Antoine Griezmann steps up

The Frenchman clinched the equalizer in the 82nd minute of the game

If Oblak's heroic efforts kept Atletico in the tie, Antoine Griezmann's composed goal might have just helped them have their noses in front. The 82nd-minute goal from the French forward felt more like a winner than an equalizer. It took the winds out of the Arsenal sails and helped the Spanish team clinch a favourable result from the match, despite being down to ten men through 90 percent of it.

His effort on the day might become the decisive moment of the tie going forward, as the crucial away goal has helped Madrid go back to Wanda Metropolitano with something substantial.

The 27-year-old retained his composure to score his goal, right from receiving a long-ball from his half to depositing it into the net over a tumbling Shkodran Mustafi.

#1 Defensive blunders cost Arsenal, again

The Arsenal skipper couldn't stop the fast and wiry Frenchman

Nacho Monreal's ignorance let Griezmann stay onside, Laurent Koscielny's mistake let him go one-on-one with the keeper, David Ospina failed to stop a ball going though his legs, and Mustafi slipped right when a clearance was desperately needed from his side: all these events happened one after the other, and led to the France international's equalizer on the day.

Even one defensive blunder will cost you severely in a big European match like this, and Arsenal, despite an improved performance at the back, suffered due to the same old woes yet again.

It was Wenger's last European game at home as an Arsenal manager, but his team could not step up for him when it mattered the most. They lacked clinical finishing in the final third, they capitulated in defence at a crucial juncture of the game, and they couldn't stamp their authority at home over a team reduced to 10-men.

If they want to go to Lyon to contest in the finals of the tournament, they have to do it the hard way in Madrid next week, against a team that has conceded just four home goals in the entire season so far.