What the game lacked in the dizzying goal rush of Paris Saint-Germain’s 5-4 win over Bayern Munich in the other semi-final the night before, it replaced with tension and a desperation not to fall behind.
Toilet paper rained down from the stands of the Metropolitano stadium minutes before kick-off, in a striking — if wasteful — display, which invited cynical jokes from some quarters about the calibre of the spectacle ahead.
In a tussle between arguably the continent’s two biggest teams never to lay a finger on the trophy neither wanted to blink first.
Atletico still have an old-style defensive reputation but pinned Mikel Arteta’s miserly Arsenal back in the early stages, with David Raya tipping Alvarez’s shot around the post.
The Gunners, a long way from Arteta’s eve-of-the-game demand they dominate proceedings, looked to smash and grab.
Noni Madueke, starting on Arsenal’s right flank with Bukayo Saka only fit for the bench, hammered just wide as last year’s beaten semi-finalists sporadically emerged from their half.
The next time they did, Gyokeres won a penalty. The Swedish striker, who might not have started if Kai Havertz had been fit, exchanged passes with Martin Zubimendi and Hancko clumsily shoved him in the back from behind.
Diego Simeone and Atletico veteran Antoine Griezmann begged for the decision to be reviewed but VAR saw no reason to intervene.
Gyokeres took the spot-kick himself, walloping it past Jan Oblak, who dived the right way but stood no chance of keeping it out.
