Paris Saint-German vs Bayern Munich on Wednesday was everything great about Champions League football.
Nine goals in a breathtaking contest as both teams threw caution to the wind and attacked at breakneck speed.
Thursday's (AEST) second semi-final first leg brought out the ugly side of the game.
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Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone shamelessly trying to influence referee Danny Makkelie and VAR tying itself in knots.
The upshot was a 1-1 Atletico draw with Arsenal at the Metropolitano.
Arsenal will like their chances in the second leg in London next week.
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But Gunners manager Mikel Arteta was also left livid as Atletico were awarded a controversial penalty and then Makkelie rescinded one he had initially awarded to the visitors.
Julian Alvarez hammered home a superb spot kick equaliser after Arsenal's Ben White was harshly punished for handball from a scuffed Marcos Llorente shot.
White's arm was away from his body but the shot was going well wide of the goal and commentators Darren Fletcher and Ally McCoist agreed the penalty wouldn't have been awarded in the Premier League.
"The threshold is different in the Champions League. I don't think it's a penalty in the Premier League," Fletcher said.
Viktor Gyokeres converted Arsenal's penalty just before half time.
That was a much more straightforward decision as Atletico defender David Hancko clumsily bundled Gyokeres over in the box.
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It looked like Hancko's night would become genuinely disastrous when he caught Eberechi Eze's foot with a challenge and the striker tumbled over.
Makkelie pointed to the spot but changed his mind after VAR intervention and Simeone's wild gesticulations.
Former Scotland star McCoist suggested the Dutch referee may have been influenced by the intimidating crowd.
Ex-Arsenal defender Martin Keown agreed.
"Simeone, his actions to the sideline and I mean the drama that he creates and the scenes around it. The referee in the end, I felt buckled under the pressure, went to the screen and didn't stand by his decision," Keown said.
"I don't even think he should have been made to go to the screen… Diego Simeone – I don't want to go too far with it, but something was very wrong there tonight."
Liverpool great Steve McManaman whacked both Simeone and VAR.
"We're talking about VAR again. I mean, I absolutely hate it, hate, hate, hate it," McManaman said.
"It spoils the game. I thought the behaviour of Diego Simeone and his assistants when the referee was trying to come over to look at the monitor was atrocious.
"The constant haranguing of the fourth official. Once he gives it and there's contact, it's not a clear and obvious error, he shouldn't go back and re-ref it again. So it baffles me, but I thought he had an awful game and I thought that the VAR man who's sitting somewhere quietly out of the way, no one has a clue."
A seething Arteta said he was "very upset" by a "completely unacceptable" decision to overturn Eze's penalty.
Neither Atletico or Arsenal have won the Champions League title.
Atletico have lost three finals and Arsenal one.
In the league phase of the competition, Arsenal routed Atletico 4-0 at the Emirates.
Atletico last made it to the Champions League final in 2016, when it lost to city rival Real Madrid.
"Predictably close, tense match with key penalty area decisions the difference, between two well organised teams that respect each other's capabilities," Stan Sport expert Craig Foster said.
"Arsenal should have had a penalty on Eze. It's a foul. Should not have been overturned. The elation and jubilation of yesterday was always short lived, and this was enjoyable in its different calculations. Atleti showed enough, particularly with multiple chances and moments at 1-1, to show next week will go to the very last minute.
"They have an amazing ability to turn the speed up, and down, and capitalise on periods of dominance. Arsenal responded typically well, though, and gained control again, with Atleti ever dangerous. Two good ties. In very different ways."
Gyokeres broke the deadlock on Thursday (AEST) from the penalty spot after he was brought down inside the area by Hancko, who was a bit late to the ball and slightly bumped the Arsenal striker from behind.
The buildup came after Atletico lost possession in attack.
Alvarez, who scored his 10th Champions League goal this season, had to be replaced late in the second half with an apparent injury.
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The penalty was Arsenal's first attempt on target, but both teams had exchanged a few early chances.
Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya had made a nice save on a shot by Alvarez, and Martin Odegaard – who also was later substituted – had his dangerous strike from inside the area blocked by Atletico defenders.
Alvarez led the Atletico attack but the connection with Antoine Griezmann and Ademola Lookman didn't work well until the second half.
Alvarez almost curled in a free kick strike after the break, and both Lookman and Griezmann had chances shortly afterward.
Griezmann struck the post with a shot in the 63rd minute.
Lookman, who had been doubtful to start because of a muscle injury, missed from close range later in the second half.
Many of the 70,000 Atletico fans threw toilet paper from the stands before the match at the Metropolitano, creating a curtain of white paper.
– with AP
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