Real Madrid soaking up pressure thinking it was a business as usual as Carlos Ancelotti wait to strike back with a lethal counter. But the Tuesday Champions League night at the Emirates turned into a nightmare for the reigning champions.
Declan Rice broke the deadlock with two stunning free-kicks, and Mikel Merino added a third with a beautiful finish, handing Mikel Arteta a commanding 3-0 win in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final clash.
However, Madrid are staring down the barrel of elimination but in need another moments of miracle at the Santiago Bernabeu. And as always, the team is clinging to the hope of one of their famous European comebacks.
“We’re totally convinced we can turn it around. This is Real Madrid—positive mindset, let’s go for it,” said defender Raul Asencio.
“If there’s one team in the world that can do it, it’s us. With our fans, our pitch, our stadium,” echoed Lucas Vazquez on Movistar. “Next Wednesday will be a totally different game.”
But even with the optimism, doubts are beginning to creep in.
This isn’t the same Real Madrid that lost just twice all last season. Tuesday’s defeat marks their 11th loss of the current campaign. Vinicius Junior is off form, Eduardo Camavinga is suspended for the return leg, and although Kylian Mbappe kept trying, he couldn’t carry the team alone.
Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made several key saves before Rice’s brilliant strikes left him helpless, pushing the 15-time champions to the brink.
Madrid’s history is rich when it comes to legendary turnarounds, which often ignited by the Bernabeu crowd. The belief is almost contagious—opponents crumble under pressure, and Real rise from the ashes.
From Karim Benzema’s unforgettable 17-minute hat-trick against PSG in 2022, to heroic victories over Chelsea and Manchester City, Madrid have made the improbable seem routine.
“We’re strong at home with our fans,” said Courtois. “They need to believe in us. If we score one or two early, it’s possible.”
Still, Tuesday’s match showed just how tough this Arsenal side is. Even without injured center-back Gabriel Magalhaes, the Gunners shut Madrid down with a disciplined, compact approach.
With a three-goal cushion, Mikel Arteta’s men can afford to sit back in the second leg—denying space to Vinicius and Mbappe and frustrating Madrid further.
But at Real Madrid, there’s only one mindset allowed: belief in the impossible.
“In football, anything can happen,” said coach Carlo Ancelotti.
“We’ll need something special,” added Jude Bellingham, who created Madrid’s best chances in the first leg.
And as he headed for the team bus, Mbappe summed it up in three words: “Of course we can.”
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