For a while, it seemed like the usual script: Real Madrid absorbing pressure while their attacking stars waited for the chance to strike Arsenal on the counterattack. But then Declan Rice scored two remarkable free kicks, and Mikel Merino added a third, leaving the defending champions on the brink of elimination as Arsenal claimed a 3-0 win in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday.
Now, Real Madrid must rely on a familiar narrative: the impossible comeback at the Santiago Bernabeu. And their message was clear right from the start.
“We’re totally convinced we can turn this 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 turn this around, it’s us, with our fans, with our pitch, our stadium,” Lucas Vazquez told Movistar. “Next Wednesday will be a totally different game, and together we’ll get it done.”
Despite these assurances, doubts are creeping in. This isn’t the Real Madrid side that lost just two matches last season; the defeat at the Emirates was their 11th of the current campaign.
Vinicius Junior is struggling with his form, Kylian Mbappe can’t carry the load alone, even though he kept trying, and Eduardo Camavinga is suspended for the return leg.
Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made several crucial saves in London, but Rice’s free kicks left him helpless and put the record 15-time winners on the ropes.
Of course, Real Madrid’s history of dramatic comebacks in Europe adds fuel to their belief. The Bernabeu crowd plays a huge part in lifting the team, often turning games around, and their opponents start to crack under pressure.
In 2022, with Paris Saint-Germain leading by two goals on aggregate, Karim Benzema’s 17-minute hat trick flipped the tie. Madrid went on to perform other sensational comebacks against Chelsea and Manchester City on their way to winning the trophy in one of the wildest runs in the competition’s history.
“A comeback is difficult, but we know we’re strong at home with our fans,” said Courtois. “They have to believe in this team. From the first minute, we’ll give everything to turn the result around. We need to correct our mistakes and try to win. If we score one or two quickly, I think it’s possible.”
However, Madrid now faces the daunting task of breaking down Arsenal’s resolute defense. Even without injured center-back Gabriel Magalhaes, the Gunners managed to keep Madrid’s attacking stars at bay in the first leg. Arteta’s side plays a cautious game, giving Madrid only a few counterattacking opportunities, and their lead allows them to play defensively in the second leg, limiting space for Vinicius and Mbappe.
But at Real Madrid, there’s only one mindset: anything is possible.
“In football, anything can happen,” noted Ancelotti.
“We’ll need something special,” said Jude Bellingham, who created Madrid’s best chances in the first leg.
“Of course we can,” Mbappe said when asked about Madrid’s chances of fighting back, as he headed to the team bus.
