The electrifying atmosphere at the Santiago Bernabeu welcomed players from Real Madrid and Arsenal on Wednesday evening as they prepared for the decisive second leg of their Champions League quarter-final.
With a daunting 3-0 deficit from the first leg and a record of three unsuccessful attempts against the Gunners, Los Blancos had a monumental task ahead right from the outset.
It quickly became clear that the home team was ready for the battle, with Jude Bellingham making his 47th Champions League appearance, matching the record for players aged 21 or younger, previously set by Iker Casillas. He was clearly in fine form.
Add to that, Myles-Lewis Skelly, Bellingham’s international teammate, became only the third player aged 18 to start a knockout stage match away at Real Madrid in the Champions League, joining the company of Cesc Fabregas in February 2006 (Arsenal) and Max Meyer in March 2014 (FC Schalke 04).
Saka’s penalty miss proves costly for Arsenal
The hosts charged forward from the beginning, but Bukayo Saka failed to give Arsenal a cushion just 12 minutes in when awarded a penalty.
While there were no immediate protests from the Arsenal players, VAR intervention caught the referee Francois Letexier’s attention, leading him to award the penalty — not surprising given he had already sanctioned six spot-kicks across seven UCL matches this season.
Saka’s ill-considered Panenka was saved by Thibaut Courtois, marking the first penalty miss in the Champions League quarter-finals or later by an Arsenal player, sending nearly 80,000 Real Madrid fans into a wild frenzy, although the home side was unable to take advantage of this gift.
As the first half approached its close, Real Madrid’s famed attacking line still hadn’t tested the opposition goalkeeper, which was hardly surprising considering that they had failed to score in the first half more times than any other team in the tournament this season.
Attempting 23 crosses in the opening 45 minutes—jointly the highest for a Champions League home match since the 2003/04 season—only three found their mark.
Bellingham’s six successful duels in the first half illustrated his commitment, yet his frustration mounted given the lack of threat in the Arsenal area as the minutes passed.
Arsenal’s defence holds firm against Real Madrid’s advances
It wasn’t until the 55th minute that Vinicius Junior registered the first shot on target for Los Blancos, and just nine minutes later, Saka effectively sealed the tie with his fifth goal in this season’s Champions League, leading all Arsenal players.
Real Madrid would have been acutely aware that their chances vanished at that moment, as Arsenal boasted an impressive record of seven wins, one draw, and no losses when scoring first in this season’s Champions League.
Despite the best efforts of the hosts, there was simply no way through Arsenal’s resolute defence, with William Saliba standing tall, recording 12 clearances—the most by an Arsenal player in a Champions League match since Per Mertesacker achieved the same feat against Bayern Munich in March 2014.
Vinicius Junior found the net just two minutes after Saka’s strike—a goal born from a Saliba error—bringing his tally to eight in this season’s competition, the most he has ever scored in a single Champions League season, which briefly ignited hopes among the Madrid supporters.
This goal also marked Vinicius’s 50th contribution in the UCL (29 goals, 21 assists), making him the third-fastest South American to reach this milestone, behind Neymar (52 games) and Lionel Messi (59 games).
However, any contemplation of a comeback quickly faded as Arsenal regained control, showcasing their ability to dominate possession and manage the game.
Martinelli’s late winner cements Arsenal’s deserved victory
Luka Modric’s substitution might have gone unnoticed by some, but it was noteworthy as his 134th appearance as an outfield player for Real Madrid, far surpassing any other outfield player in European Cup/Champions League history, previously held by Karim Benzema (133).
Nevertheless, neither Modric nor his teammates could intervene on Gabriel Martinelli’s heart-stopping injury-time winner for Mikel Arteta’s side, a moment that was well-deserved on yet another memorable night for Arsenal in Europe.
Their passage to the semi-finals marks only the third time Arsenal have reached this stage (the others being 2005/06 and 2008/09), showcasing the potential for a defining moment in Arteta’s managerial tenure.
They are set to clash with the formidable Paris Saint-Germain for a spot in the final, facing either Internazionale or Barcelona, promising an exciting final four that features three teams that have either won their leagues already or currently sit atop their respective tables.
In retrospect, Real Madrid may lament facing English sides in the knockout stages, having been eliminated by Manchester City in both the 2019/20 and 2022/23 seasons, as well as being ousted by Chelsea in the 2020/21 campaign — meaning the last four eliminations have come at the hands of Premier League teams.
Arsenal’s 18 shots compared to Real’s 11 highlight the inconsistency that has plagued big-name players like Kylian Mbappé in crucial matches this season, as Madrid dominated possession at 66.1% and completed 86.1% of their passes, which suggests that the opportunities to turn the tide were certainly present.
Real Madrid’s underwhelming attack fails to shine in crucial moments
Similar to both El Clasico matches this season, the marquee players failed to deliver, resulting in significant disappointment.
Only Vinicius Junior managed to surpass 10 touches in the Arsenal box (15), while both Mbappé and Rodrygo managed just four touches each within the opposition area. Even Lucas Vazquez matched the combined total shots of Mbappé and Rodrygo (three).
Declan Rice was instrumental for the visitors once again, forming a formidable partnership with Thomas Partey that proved almost impenetrable for Real Madrid’s attackers.
Notably, Partey registered a flawless 100% pass completion (21 successful passes from 21 attempts), while Rice boasted a 96.2% completion rate (25 accurate passes from 26 attempts), speaking volumes about their solid performance.
The only drawback for the Ghanaian was a late yellow card, which will see him missing the first leg of the semi-final against PSG. This moment of recklessness could potentially impact his team…
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
Fanpage: SportArena.com.au.
LiveScore – Live Sports Results & Odds.
