In a stunning turn of events, Real Madrid, the current titleholders, have been eliminated from the semi-finals of the 2024-25 Champions League. Their hopes were dashed on Wednesday, April 16, at the Santiago Bernabeu, where they fell to Arsenal with a score of 2-1 and 1-5 on aggregate.
Despite their efforts, the Spanish powerhouse could not recover from an early goal deficit.
As a result of this defeat, Arsenal has secured their place in the finals, where they will go head-to-head with Paris Saint-Germain. The outcome marks a significant moment in the tournament, highlighting the competitive nature of European football and the challenges even the most storied clubs face in their quest for glory.
After Facing an uphill battle in their first-leg defeat, Real Madrid was in dire need of a turnaround. In a strategic move, coach Carlo Ancelotti chose to unleash the formidable quartet of Kylian Mbappé, Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo, and Jude Bellingham, hoping to ignite a resurgence for the club that has long been synonymous with European glory.
The match shifted into a high-stakes atmosphere right from the start, as Madrid found themselves on the back foot following a penalty decision in the 10th minute due to a collision between Raul Asensio and Mikel Merino.
However, Arsenal failed to capitalize on this prime chance as Thibaut Courtois made a brilliant save against Bukayo Saka’s daring penalty just three minutes later, ensuring the score remained unchanged.
The crucial intervention by the Madrid goalkeeper kept the Spanish side’s hopes alive for a remarkable comeback. However, a penalty initially granted to Real after Declan Rice was deemed to have fouled Kylian Mbappé was subsequently overturned by the French referee in the 28th minute.
Madrid was unable to establish a cohesive attacking flow and failed to capitalize on this chance to gain the upper hand, leading to a scoreless draw as the first half came to an end.
Arsenal who hasn’t reached the Champions League semi-finals since 2009, enters halftime brimming with fresh hope. With the Premier League’s most robust defense supporting them, they pose a significant threat to the Madrid squad, which now faces an uphill battle with only one half remaining to turn the tide.
The Gunners broke the deadlock when Saka made amends for his earlier penalty miss by finding the net in the 65th minute. However, Real Madrid quickly responded, with Vinicius Júnior seizing on a significant error from William Saliba to equalize just three minutes later, reigniting the spirits of the Madrid supporters. In the dying moments of the match, Arsenal sealed their victory with a second goal from Martinelli in the third minute of stoppage time, putting the game beyond doubt.
The Gunners broke the deadlock when Saka made amends for his earlier penalty miss by finding the net in the 65th minute.
However, Real Madrid quickly responded, with Vinicius Júnior seizing on a costly error from William Saliba to equalize just three minutes later, reigniting the spirits of the Madrid supporters. In a dramatic finish, Arsenal sealed their victory with a second goal from Martinelli during stoppage time, finding the back of the net in the 93rd minute.
