UCL Reaction: Real Madrid 1-2 (1-5) Arsenal: Los Blancos Bow Out with a Whimper
Bukayo Saka
Real Madrid bowed out of the UCL as they lost 1-2 with Arsenal in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League Quarter Final, losing 5-1 on aggregate.
Madrid made the cardinal early sin as Raul Asencio was adjudged to pull down Mikel Merino in the box. Harsh but the Referee said penalty. Luckily for the Spanish Giants, Bukayo Saka was in a charitable mood as he woefully attempted to Panenka Thibaut Courtois from the spot.
The penalty carnage continued as Declan Rice was adjudged to have caused Kylian Mbappe to flop to the floor. After a lengthy wait, VAR asked the Referee to watch the incident on the pitch side monitor and the decision was overturned.
Carlo Ancelotti’s men had all the ball but failed to create anything of note. As time went on Arsenal began to toy with them, before Martin Odegaard slotted Saka in to chip over Courtois.
Finally, the game opened up for a moment, Madrid pressed, and William Saliba was caught ball watching in his box for Vinicius Jr to power home.
To put the icing on the cake, Gabriel Martinelli was set through in injury time by Merino, Martinelli made no mistake and Arsenal are semi-finalists.
Arsenal’s stronghold was barely touched following. Real Madrid fell to the side with a whimper as Mikel Arteta’s men controlled both ties from minute one.
Gunners Defensive Stronghold
Arsenal didn’t have to push forward in this game, heading into the Bernabeu with a three-goal lead. With that lead it’s very easy to sit too deep, to be to relaxed, let gaps show and Arsenal never did that.
The back line was regimented, the midfield held their shape like clockwork and he wide men of Saka and Martinelli did as they did in the first leg, ran Madrid defenders ragged.
Rice in particular was sensational, managing the likes of Federico Valverde throughout. Odegaard showed up on his return to Madrid, keeping his team cool and not wasting the ball on any occasion.
Arsenal had a game plan that required exceptional execution, and they never let up. This team made the UCL holders look mediocre. The Gunners outplayed Los Blancos; this result was no fluke.
Real Madrid’s Lack of Answers
On far too many occasions Real Madrid have looked off the pace in their UCL campaign this season. Madrid lost three off their league phase game and required a play-off against Manchester City to secure their place in the knockout round.
Defensive woes have been Ancelotti’s sides biggest woe, with the team shipping eight goals in the league phase. As Los Blancos continued to be below par, they required a rather dubious double-touch call in the penalty shootout against Atletico Madrid to make this quarter final.
Not once have Real looked their true selves and yet signs were pointing towards them finding a way to do it again despite appearances. A draw against Arsenal should have suited them. A team without a recognised striker with a focus on being defensively sound.
Instead, the shell of Real continued to show as they never touched the surface of the Gunners. The only goal this side of new age Galactico’s could claim was from Saliba’s ball watching.
Los Blancos looked devoid of answers. Like a team full of individuals, awaiting one of the superstars to make an impact. Contrastingly Arsenal looked the opposite. Every player di their job. No ego’s, just fighting man for man with a plan.
How Far Can Arsenal Go?
Arsenal’s prize for knocking out the 15-time UCL champions? This year’s current favourites, Paris Saint-Germain.
The Gunners defied the odds to take out Real in this tie. Despite Madrid’s poor showings, not many assumed Arteta’s team could find a way past them.
Instead, we have witnessed an organized two-leg performance, with some serious goals along the way too. PSG propose a different task. On the surface they are the most complete team left in the competition, but Aston Villa did find a way past their keeper, Gianluigi Donnarumma, over two legs.
For Arteta, he now has to find away to combat another fluid front three. This front three comes with different qualities and yet the same amount of blistering pace. The Arsenal manager will also have to come up with new attacking strategies that can combat the speed of Nuno Mendes and somehow get past Donnarumma without a forward.
Should Villa have managed to do so just once more, who knows who could have made the semi-final. A different task, one arguably bigger than Real.
For Arsenal, the UCL has to be the priority now. Whilst their showing has proved several doubters wrong, PSG could take the London side in any direction with them on form, electric team. Beatable? Of course, but gunning for their first UCL.
