Echoes of Thierry Henry’s iconic 2006 performance rung throughout the Santiago Bernabéu as Bukayo Saka deftly lifted the ball over an outstretched Thibaut Courtois. Sending the tiny pocket of Arsenal fans tucked away in the steep balconies into delirium, the English starlet had killed any hopes of a classic ‘remontada.’ Real Madrid — the competition’s most decorated club, having won six of the last 11 editions, including last year’s title — had been outclassed.
Apart from Aston Villa and Paris Saint-Germain’s fiery second leg that saw the Parisians advance 5–4 on aggregate, all eyes rested on Real Madrid as the European giants prepared to mount what would be one of the greatest comebacks in Champions League history. A seemingly insurmountable task, considering a 3–0 hammering in North London a week earlier and the tactical discipline and prowess of Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, stood in front of Los Blancos. The last team to overturn a 3–0 deficit was Liverpool in 2019 with an Anfield classic that saw Lionel Messi and FC Barcelona crash out of the competition.
A sliver of hope did present itself with Thibaut Courtois’ save of Bukayo Saka’s penalty in the first half, but the tide never turned in Madrid’s favor. Declan Rice, by far the best player on the pitch among both teams, stood guard over a well-drilled Arsenal defense. The former West Ham star endured a host of rash challenges from a physically demanding side who had clearly identified him as the centerpiece of Arsenal’s system.
But the magic of Madrid did not faze the North London side, whose players battled a star-studded squad and the weight of expectations in the Spanish capital. Led by Martin Odegaard, a former Real Madrid player, and the industrious Rice, whose two picturesque free-kicks had all but buried Real Madrid in the first leg, Arsenal braved the waves of attacks put forth by Carlo Ancelotti’s side. Unlike teams who invite pressure by sitting back at the Bernabéu, Arsenal transitioned pressure back onto their opponents with frequent counter-attacks and productive attacking possession. The Gunners managed 12 shots on the night and despite holding just 33.8% possession, managed six shots on target, three more than Real Madrid. The likes of Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior were cramped for space and struggled to create consistent openings against a compact low block. Rice tracked Jude Bellingham throughout the night, eliminating his attacking ability, which has been key to supplying Madrid’s forward line all season.
Tactically, one of the areas where Real Madrid faltered was resorting to direct crossing without a target man. In the past, Madrid has always had a player to aim for in the box. Even if it wasn’t a pure striker, like Karim Benzema, the likes of Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo would often occupy this role and had the profile to dominate defenders in the air. This current team does not have that. Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior cannot play that role or challenge defenders for crosses. To solve this, Real Madrid must figure out ways to play through compact defenses or sign a target man who can be deployed in desperate situations when direct play is needed.
Real Madrid’s defense performed well, but was always going to be forced forward, leaving risky gaps behind. Gabriel Martinelli and Saka, the two scorers on the night, took advantage of these and constantly tested the flanks. David Alaba’s unnecessary challenge on Saka earned him an early yellow, forcing the Austrian veteran to remain cautious throughout the game. Soon after Saka silenced the home crowd with the opener in the 64th minute, Vinícius Júnior pounced on a loose touch from William Saliba to equalize in the 66th, a stroke of luck that momentarily reignited the home crowd. Now 1–1, but still 4–1 on aggregate, the game still demanded a miracle during the last 25 minutes from the reigning champions. This period ended with an unsurprising second from Arsenal, as Martinelli sped past a back-tracking Fran Garcia before slotting away the winner.
The final phase of the game was a frustrating period for Real Madrid as several attacking moves were controlled by Arsenal’s defense, in particular the hardworking full-back duo Myles Lewis-Skelly and Jurrien Timber. Lewis-Skelly, just 18 years old, has had a dream debut season with the first team at Arsenal and has gone toe to toe with Europe’s elite attacking stars. His performances merited an England senior debut in March, where he became the youngest player to score on his England debut after finishing a well-threaded pass by Jude Bellingham against Albania. He is undoubtedly a future star.
Having slain the tournament’s premier side, Mikel Arteta and Arsenal will now face an electric Paris Saint-Germain side in the semifinals in less than two weeks. With a host of elite French talent led by Ousmane Dembélé, Paris Saint-Germain is sure to provide an exciting match-up. The Parisians have swept aside Liverpool and Aston Villa on their route to the semifinals and will be hoping to add another English team to that list. But for now, Arsenal must soak in their monumental achievement and dream on in the hopes of winning their first-ever UEFA Champions League title.
