Ahead of Wednesday night’s Champions League quarter-final second leg at the Bernabeu, Real Madrid’s supporters knew their team had not played well during last week’s 3-0 defeat at Arsenal.
But everyone at Madrid also knew they had Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo in their line-up — an array of potentially match-winning galactico attackers that no other club in the competition could match.
Madrid also had their history of unlikely comebacks in this competition, with Manchester City, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich among the visitors to have been on the receiving end of spectacular ‘remontada’ reverses at the Bernabeu in recent years.
Carlo Ancelotti’s current side started the game full of intent, looking to make it an end-to-end battle in which anything could happen. And after just two minutes Madrid did have the ball in the Arsenal net, when Vinicius Jr’s cross-shot was chested in by Mbappe.
The roars were cut short by a clearly-correct offside flag, but expectation had grown even higher. The idea that another historic comeback could be on the way was then fed even further by Thibaut Courtois saving Bukayo Saka’s penalty.
Courtois saves from Saka (Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
But it was all ‘mucho ruido y pocas nueces’, as the Spanish say: ‘Lots of noise, but few nuts.’ Madrid had talked a lot about how their attacking stars and tournament history meant a comeback was possible — but out there on the pitch, it never looked on.
Ancelotti’s team were doing everything they could to keep the pace up — Courtois repeatedly restarted play quickly to set up counter-attacks, Mbappe and Vinicius Jr would get on the ball and try to sprint directly at the Arsenal goal. But once Mikel Arteta’s visitors settled into the game, there was no organisation, no idea, no plan, and no real hope for Madrid.
Once referee Francois Letexier’s decision to award a penalty to Mbappe for a non-existent foul by Declan Rice was correctly overturned following a lengthy VAR consultation, the idea that a comeback might happen became more and more fanciful.
In the second half, Madrid’s attacks became even more sporadic and desperate. Bellingham was played into space inside the Arsenal area but, instead of shooting, waited for contact so he could claim a penalty.
When a half-slip by Jakub Kiwior opened up a chance for a two-on-one break, Vinicius Jr went himself and dallied too long. Mbappe turned away in disappointment.
It was a problem Madrid have had in big games throughout the season — their big name superstar attackers looking to do things individually, rather than as part of a collective attacking unit, and it all generally failing spectacularly.
Ancelotti himself was obviously not happy with what he saw — on the hour he made a triple substitution, including sending on Brazilian teenager Endrick for Rodrygo, but little changed.
When a Bellingham cross from deep drifted aimlessly out of play behind David Raya’s goal, there were whistles of frustration all around the Bernabeu.
Madrid were already a beaten team when their defence was picked open by a neat Arsenal move, which ended with Mikel Merino sliding in Saka who clipped the ball over Courtois.
At no moment over the two legs did Ancelotti’s side show themselves capable of constructing such a move, and very rarely this season have they managed anything similar.
Ancelotti shows his frustration (Oscar Del Pozo/AFP via Getty Images)
That type of cohesion and collective work is necessary to win the modern Champions League — through Madrid’s run of six wins in the last 11 years they have always had lots of attacking talent, but they have also had a cohesive midfield and a collective winning mentality.
During their unlikely comebacks on the way to winning the trophy in those seasons, players such as Karim Benzema, Toni Kroos and Luka Modric showed leadership and composure in difficult situations, putting their individual talents to the benefit of the team.
There has been little sign of that from Madrid all this season. Even when they did get one back against Arsenal on Wednesday, it was when William Saliba lost concentration and Vinicius Jr picked his pocket to fire into an empty net.
That at least meant Madrid’s run of almost 300 minutes without scoring a goal in the competition was over. But not that they had actually created a decent opening themselves. Instead, the team kept lofting aimless cross after aimless cross into the Arsenal penalty area, where Arteta’s well organised defence were waiting to just head them away.
All the changes of formation and shape through the second half underlined again how Ancelotti did not seem to know how his team needed to be set up. Mbappe’s arrival last summer, along with Kroos’ departure, has completely upset the way of playing which won the team last season’s Champions League.
Injuries through this campaign, especially in defence, and a lack of decent squad depth, have made it more difficult to build a solid base. But arranging a set of diverse galacticos into a functioning cohesive unit is the job description at Real Madrid — and the Italian has failed to do that this year.
A surreal moment with 15 minutes left summed up Madrid’s tie. Mbappe hurt his ankle awkwardly fouling Rice, and eventually limped off to be substituted with whistles ringing around the stadium.
Mbappe holds his ankle after a challenge with Rice (Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
A few scattered Madrid fans were still trying to keep the ‘remontada’ idea alive with more singing about their team being kings of Europe. But there was no real feeling in the stadium that a comeback was now likely to happen.
Well before Gabriel Martinelli’s late goal made it 5-1 to Arsenal on aggregate, many of the crowd had already left. It was an embarrassing evening for everyone at Madrid, even if it was one which many preferred not to see coming.
Fans, pundits and even players had got carried away with the ‘remontada’ talk but once the game started there was little of the spirit, organisation or quality required to turn a tie around — Arsenal were just far superior in all areas.
This was hardly the first time it had happened in the competition this season — Madrid started with three defeats in their first five games in the group stages, and probably should not even have reached the quarter-final stage.
Mbappe trudges down the tunnel (Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
It was the club’s aura and reputation which arguably got them past Manchester City and Atletico Madrid in the first two knockout rounds — City were in front in the first leg until an inexplicable late collapse at the Etihad cost Pep Guardiola’s side, while Atletico’s own problematic psychological complexes meant they lacked the necessary conviction against their neighbours.
Ancelotti, his staff and his players now have a lot of thinking to do ahead of Madrid’s next big test — the Copa del Rey final against Barcelona in Seville in nine days time. Further embarrassment is very possible given how convincingly Barca have won the season’s first two Clasicos.
Club president Florentino Perez and his directors will also surely be accelerating their planning for the summer and next season.
The two games against Arsenal have shown even more clearly what had been evident all through this season. The current Madrid squad has a lot of very talented players, but they do not have a very good team.
(Top photo: Manu Reino /DeFodi via Getty Images)